


Stiles The Teen Wolf Season One

by AkemiAsh



Series: Stiles The Teen Wolf [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Derek Helps Stiles, Derek and Stiles are Mates, Derek is Stiles' Anchor, F/M, M/M, Mates, Oblivious Scott, POV Stiles, Protective Derek, Scott is a Bad Friend, Stiles is Derek's Anchor, Sweet Derek, Werewolf Mates, Werewolf Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-08-24
Packaged: 2018-02-10 08:31:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply, Underage
Chapters: 13
Words: 79,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2018139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AkemiAsh/pseuds/AkemiAsh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if it hadn't been Scott. What if it'd actually been Stiles who was bitten that night? When the werewolf shoe was on the other foot, Stiles isn't the one supporting anymore, he is the one who needs support, but with Allison Argent capturing Scott's attention, who will support the newly turned werewolf? Sterek Werewolf!Stiles Human!Scott</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Episode One: Wolf Moon

Teen Wolf Season One  
Episode One: Wolf Moon

Darkness was a blessing in Stiles' opinion. It allowed for quick and unnoticed movements as he made his subtle way to his best friends house to fill Scotty boy in on the newest, and to be honest most exciting, case Beacon Hills had ever been host to in over four years. Then again, he really wouldn't have to do this sort of thing if the kid would just answer his damn phone.

Climbing up to his friend's window though, turned out to much more difficult than he first anticipated.

"I need to get out more." Stiles mutters to himself. "I never noticed this until now but Scott man, your roof has like, vines and shit everywhere." And just as he says this, his foot slips on one of the vines.

The ride down was much faster than the climb up and before Stiles even knew what was going on, he was hanging upside down. 'oh god' he moaned in his own head before a scream startled him and his own startled yell was ripped from his throat. He noticed Scott just as the boy calmed and began to speak.

"Stiles what the hell are you doing!" His best friend accused fiercely making Stiles indignant.

"You weren't answering your phone!" He called back and that's when he noticed what was in Scott's hands. "Why do you have a bat?"

Scott only took a second to answer, looking just a little bit embarrassed. "I thought you were a Predator."

Stiles wanted to laugh. He let his arms express his thoughts though. "A Preda- ugh-ts, look. I know it's late but you got to hear this."

Wow, it's hard to breathe upside down Stiles idly thinks as he takes a deep breath before he starts his story. "I saw my dad leave twenty minutes ago. Dispatch called, their bringing in every officer from the Beacon department and even state police." I really can't hang here much longer.

Scott took a heartbeat to look confused. "For what?"

Oh-kay, I gotta get down. Stiles reaches up to his ankle where he could feel one, or multiple of the vines digging into him. "Two joggers found a body in the woods." Just as he says this, the vines give and Stiles drops, catching himself in a crouch as he hears Scott ask a question, and he tries to hold in the reflex he has for stupid question, but it just wasn't meant to be.

"A dead body?"

Good god the boy is adorable. "No, a body of water!" Stiles rolled his eyes. "Yes dumbass a dead body." He makes to climb over the porch railing and Scott gives him room, not pointing out how hard Stiles is breathing. Instead, getting interested in the story.

"So you mean, like a murder?"

Stiles considers this a safe, not-so-stupid question, so he answers honestly. "Nobody knows yet. They just know it was a girl, probably in her twenties."

Scott's eyebrows raise and Stiles knows exactly where his friend's thoughts are going, right where they needed to go.

"Wait, hold on, if they found the body, what are they looking for?"

Yes! The right question! Stiles doesn't hide his excitement as he answers. "That's the best part." He lets it hang there as he watches Scott's face. "They only found half."

Stiles knew the exact moment Scott realized what he was getting at, and he couldn't help grinning at his friends look of near panic.

"We're going."

And they did.

The location had been mentioned before his dad had left. Beacon Hills Preserve. A patch of woods that was owned by a family a long time ago that's now just the outskirts of their town. His Jeep made it to the back entrance of the Preserve before Scott finally spoke up.

"Are we really doing this?"

Stiles slammed his door shut, his face a wide smile despite his friend's protesting.

"You're the one always bitching that nothing ever happens in this town." He answered, slapping his friend in the arm. Stiles can feel his friend's reluctance even before he heard Scott say something that sounded like an excuse. Something about sleep and practice. Didn't matter. They had a body to find.

Still, the quite was daunting and the dark was only slightly creepy, so Stiles decided conversation was okay for now.

"Right. 'cause sitting on the bench is such a grueling effort."

"No, because I'm playing this year." Scott countered and Stiles wanted to snort but his friend didn't stop there. "In fact, I'm making first line."

Stiles couldn't help it. "Hey, that's the spirit. Everyone should have a dream, even a pathetically unrealistic one." Not that he was really one to preach to the choir (Lydia Martin is not unrealistic). Ah who was he trying to kid. He knew his chances and they were about as good as Scott making first line.

"Hey, just out of curiosity, which half of the body are we looking for?"

Suddenly, Stiles realized that he had no idea how to answer that at all. "Huh…" He said, mostly to himself. "I didn't even think about that."

"And..ugh.." Scott continued, and Stiles really didn't want to hear the rest of it but he was a little out of breath from walking so fast so he didn't even bother to stop his friend. "What if whoever killed the body is still out here?" He could honestly hear the smug smile on Scott's face.

"Also something I didn't think about." Stiles admitted throwing his head to the side in an admittance of lack of foresight.

"It's comforting to know you've planned this out with your usual attention for detail." Scott called after him as they climbed an unusually steep part of the woods. "Maybe t-the sever asthmatic should be the one holding the flashlight huh?"

Stiles hadn't noticed Scott had stopped, he was too busy ducking at the top of the incline. He hit the ground and hid the flashlight's bright rays before attempting to turn it off. He knew what was in the distance, he saw the flashlights and heard the dogs and footsteps, no doubt his father was one of the people searching the woods tonight. He felt Scott duck down beside him, the boy's red hood over his head so Stiles couldn't really see his face but he was sure it was pale. He really should have thought ahead, his friend had trouble just running for a short while, maybe a hike in the woods for a dead body wasn't his smartest plot in the history of their friendship. Still, they needed to move before they were spotted, or worse, before the police found the body first.

"Come on." He said as he rose, rushing forward while keeping an eye on the dots of light not too far away. He was sure Scott would keep up, asthma or not.

He heard Scott yell his name but he wasn't about to stop, they were too close to the cops, but he did look back and the second he did he came face first with a tree.

"Oh god!" Stiles whispered harshly as he held his head, just as Scott's form rushed passed him and straight into the barking jaws of one of the police dogs.

Oh shit they got Scott. Stiles panicked, hiding behind the tree as if his life was on the line. The second he heard his father's voice, he was certain it wasn't his life anymore, it was his freedom.

"Hang on, hang on. I know this little delinquent." Sheriff Stillinski said as he looked at Scott who wheezed and panicked, his heart racing.

Stiles stayed hidden, cursing and frustrated ranting in his head about how if Scott was there, they would know Stiles was too, there was no way he could hide forever, scott wouldn't even know if it wasn't for Stiles. Oh god, it was over, he was in trouble.

"Where's your usual partner in crime?" the Sheriff asked and Stiles knew Scott would sell him out. He was surprised when that wasn't exactly what happened.

"What? Stiles? You mean Stiles? No he-he's home. He told me about it the second you left over the phone but he wanted to get a good night's sleep for the first day of school tomorrow. It's just me..in the woods. You know…alone." Scott only stammered once, but Stiles smiled at his friend's attempt to protect him. Hell yeah bro, I would have done the same for you Scotty boy.

His dad though, didn't sound like he believed him. "Stiles wanted to sleep? What am I, stupid?" then his voice raised. "Stiles! You out there?!"

It was so hard to stay hidden when he dad was calling him, but every part of Stiles clenched in panic and a twisted rush. Please don't find me, please don't find me.

"Stiles!"

Again, Stiles managed to remain still.

When he heard his dad sigh, he knew the Sheriff had no choice but to believe Scott.

"Alright." The Sheriff said and Stiles heard him come closer to Scott and grab the boy by the jacket. "I'm going to have one of the deputies take you home, your mother is not going to be happy with you. And then, I'm going to call Stiles and have a talk about a little thing called 'invasion of privacy'."

Stiles couldn't hear them anymore as they moved further away.

He had a moment of guilt for dragging Scott into this. Yeah, his mother would be furious and probably ground Scott for a good long while, but still. This was even more of a reason to find what they had come all the way out here for.

Stiles started off in the opposite direction of the police and his father and now Scott. He wouldn't lie to himself, it was getting creepier by the minute, the owls hooting, crickets chirping, silence ringing under all of it, and most of all, the darkness since he refused to turn the flashlight back on.

Still, he kept walking, jumping around over the slightest of sounds.

When the owls and crickets stopped, he didn't notice at first. But when he did notice, he stopped, looking into the misty woods and straining his eyes to see better.

When the first deer rushed at him, he could admit to screaming like a little girl and dropping to the floor in complete and utter fear.

Jesus Christ! This was too much, way way way too much to do alone. With Scott here, he had back up, but alone he was…well…alone. No, he was going home. Screw this. Things were getting way too creepy, way too fast and he wasn't sticking around long enough to become the next victim.

Searching around his pockets for his phone, he cursed manically when he couldn't find it. God damn it!

He turned the flashlight on, figuring he was far enough away from the cops to be seen and started searching the ground for his freaking phone.

He swore to god he wasn't expecting the body, he really wasn't, he didn't even want to find it anymore. But he did find it.

The scream came up like bile, from his stomach, up his throat and right out his mouth. He didn't notice he was walking backwards until he stumbled and fell, rolling down the hill like a snowball.

Ouch ouch ouch! God damnit, this is the worst idea I ever had! Stiles finally stopped at the bottom of the hill and rose, he was sure he bruised something because his body ached all over, but that was fine, it didn't matter. Nothing did, just getting to his freakin car and getting the hell out of the woods.

The growling stopped his short.

Oh my god I'm going to die…

When he turned around, the fury black body and glowing red eyes confirmed every thought he's had since Scott was found.

He tried to run, even though his logical brain told him that it would only give the animal reason to chase, but he couldn't help it, the whole night had just, all been too much. Not that he got very far, the beast was on him in seconds and he didn't even registered that he was screaming anymore, he just fought and kicked and flailed. He didn't want to die here, like this. In the woods for the next set of joggers to find.

Something sharp and hot dug into his side and the pain was overwhelming. He finally connected an elbow to whatever had him and it released. When he scrambled up, he took off running. He didn't know which direction and he didn't care, he just had to get the fuck away from the red eyes.

When he broke the tree line and hit concrete, he only had a moment of relief before headlights scared another few years off his life. When the car swerved and avoided him, he dropped to his knees, hands on the wet pavement as the rain soaked into his clothes. Wow, he didn't even know it had started to rain.

Never again. He promised himself. At least, not alone.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

It had taken him a little over an hour to find out where he was and then from there find his car, but even though it took so long, he was still home before his dad. Thank god too because the second he hit his bed, he passed out. Clothed and wet, it didn't matter, the only thing that mattered was the exhaustion.

Stiles regretted it when he woke up though.

His bed was soaked, and it wasn't just water either. There was blood soaking through his shirt.

His mad rush to the bath room fell on deaf ears, and good thing because Stiles had been bit. They were clear teeth marks, something had actually taken a bite out of his side.

It stung and it stunk. Actually, all of Stiles stunk. Some way to start the school year.

He stripped and hopped into the shower, being careful with his new wound. He'd need to tell Scott.

Actually, maybe he shouldn't.

Heaven knows what had bitten him. He'd heard a growl and that could mean any number of animals, but his gut was telling him it wasn't any number of animals. It was a wolf.

But that was ridiculous, there are no wolves in California. There haven't been for like 60 years. What was he thinking? It had to be something else, something explainable, plausible. Had to be like, one of the search dogs that got loose or something. Yeah. A search dog.

His eyes raked the mark as he bandaged it, taping the bandage there before he walked out of the bathroom with his towel around his waist. The second he got into his room, his eyes found his alarm clock and he cursed. Aw man, he was late for school.

Stiles threw on his clothes, clothes he had picked a week in advanced, not that anyone needed to know that, and grabbed his bag and his keys, deciding then and there that he would tell Scott.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Come on, let's see it."

Stiles rolled his eyes as he lifted his shirt, showing the slightly bloody bandage to Scott's curious eyes. The second his friend's hand shot out to touch the wound, Stiles pulled back.

"Do you think it was a wolf?"

Stiles refused to admit that it was his first thought as he responded. "A wolf bit me?" He faked an indulgent smile. "No, not a chance."

"How do you know that? You said you heard growling." Scott retorted and Stiles snorted.

"I know because California doesn't have wolves Scott. Not for like, 60 years." He'd looked it up. After all, it had been his own first guess too. Not that I would ever say it aloud.

"Really?" Scott asked in confusion.

Stiles figured he'd responded too harshly to the notion of a wolf. Still, he was sure. Almost sure. Mostly sure that it hadn't been a wolf. Had it?

"Yes really. There are no wolves in California." He stopped at the steps to the school entrance, looking back at Scott as he decided to go on about the next part of his tale. "If you believe in wolves though, you probably won't find it hard to believe that I found the other half of the body."

Scott's eyes went wide and he smiled. "No way. Really?"

Again with that word. "Yes really! This is the greatest thing to ever happen to this town since-" over Scott's head he saw the strawberry blond head of his second grade crush and the words rushed out before he could stop them. "Since the birth of Lydia Martin, hey Lydia you look-" The didn't look at him, didn't twitch an eye, raise a brow, quirk a lip, nothing as she passed right by him and Scott and Stiles felt the deflated irritation he always did about the girl. "Like you're going to ignore me."

He wasn't going to lie, that was pretty embarrassing. He turned to Scott with a glare as his friend sort of smirked and smiled at him at the same time, something only Scott was capable of. "You're the cause of this you know." Stiles found himself saying. "Dragging me into your nerd depths." He didn't mean it, and by Scott 'uh-huh' Scott knew he didn't mean it. Which actually just irked him even more. So he continued as they walked.

"I'm a nerd by association. I've been Scarlet-nerded by you."

He was ignored. Again. Of course, everyone ignores Stiles.

The body was the only thing the teachers talked about that morning. Apparently they were told to reassure the students that the police had it all under control, but by the reactions their first period teacher got, no one really cared about the body at all.

Stiles shared a look with Scott when it was brought up though, his small smirk going unnoticed by anyone else but his best friend. Which was just as well since it was only meant for Scott. Then they head about the suspect.

This was news to both of them and it showed on both their faces as the teacher pointed out the semester outlines that had been placed on every desk before they'd walked in. Everyone groaned, Stiles included, but he stopped sharply with a wince when a very loud and very high cell phone ring caught his ears. Wow, talk about disrespect, we're in the middle of class.

But as he looked around, no one gave any indication to having heard the ringing. Not unusual, students often ignored other people's ring tones just so that other people would ignore it when theirs rang too, but even the teacher seemed oblivious to it.

Stiles was at a loss and it showed as he looked around, when the sharp ring came again. This time though, it was answered and the voice of a girl filled his ears.

"Mom, three calls on my first day is a little over doing it."

Stiles pinpointed the direction of the voice and looked out the window, the only thing out there was a girl sitting on a bench in front of the school. No way.

He strained himself to hear her better, not really knowing why he was straining since he heard her just fine and he was inside the school.

"Everything except a pen, oh my god, I didn't actually forget a pen." She sounded disheartened and stiles was thrown for a loop. The girl outside was going through her bag (looking for a pen apparently) and Stiles was silently freaking out inside.

"Okay okay, I got to go. Love ya."

Stiles listened as the girl got off the phone. A school administrator came up to her and apologized for keeping her waiting before directing her into the school. The weirdest part came when she was out of sight. Stiles could still hear her. Her voice and the administrator's voice were clear through the walls and Stiles didn't notice he was following their progress through the wall with his eyes until they were at the door of his class.

The second she came in, Stiles looked at Scott and noticed his friend's attention zero in on the new girl.

She was introduced to them as Allison Argent and suddenly Stiles knew. Like an instinct, he knew his friend was interested in this girl. He could almost smell it, but that was weird, that surely wasn't the right way to describe that.

Quickly he wrote on the loose paper in his binder before balling it up and throwing it at Scott. It hit the back of his friend's head and Scott's attention was taken away from the new girl as he gave Stiles a glare, raising an eyebrow when Stiles pointed to the note on the floor. Scott scooped it up and read it before turning very confused eyes on Stiles.

'Just DO IT!' Stiles mouthed before he noticed the girl's eyes were on him and his exchange with Scott. He turned away and hid his face, non-to-subtly.

"Please do your best to make her feel welcome." The administrator said as he left.

Allison walked forward, her head down and nodding at the people she passed as she made her way to the empty seat behind Scott. Stiles nodded at her too and waited to see if his friend would really do what he had suggested.

He almost beamed when the second she sat down, Scott presented her with his pen.

Her smile was confused, but true and Stiles could almost feel her returned interest in Scott.

He cheered for his home boy in his own head. Pumping his fist in the air at the fact he'd helped that along nicely.

It didn't last long.

First period ended and Allison left, Scott's eyes watching her back like children watched candy. Stiles rolled his eyes and got up too, smacking the back of his friend's head before they walked out together.

"What the hell man." Scott complained as he found his locker. "By the way, what was that? How did you know she needed a pen?"

Stiles shrugged, not sure how to answer but knowing if he did it would be something snarky.

He knew Allison's locker must be just behind him because Scott smiled a bit passed him and Stiles almost rolled his eyes again before the soft and melodious voice of Lydia Martin filled his ears.

"That jacket is absolutely killer, where did you get it?"

"My mom was a buyer for a boutique back in San Francisco."

"And you, are my new best friend. Oh hey Jackson."

And Stiles tuned out. He did not want to hear the kissing noises that always seemed to follow one of Lydia's 'hey Jackson's. Jackson Whittmore was a tool. Not just any tool, he was the dullest, rustiest tool, in the tool shed of life.

He was forced to tune back in when the voice of one of their friends came from behind him though, asking the question every girl would probably ask at some point during the day.

"Can someone tell me how the new girl is here all of five minutes and she's already hanging out with Lydia's clique?"

Stiles' eyes turned to where Scott had already been looking this entire time, to Lydia, Allison, and Jackson. He felt his stomach turn and his hand ball into fists as he saw Jackson's arm around Lydia, he held it in check even though it was harder than usual.

"Cause she's hot." Stiles answered, his nonchalant attitude almost cracking. "Beautiful people herd together." Ain't that saying something about the rest of us.

"So," Lydia's voice was in his ears again, and Stiles felt his hands relax. "This weekend, there's a party."

"A party?"

"Yeah, it'll be fun, you should come." The second Stiles heard Jackson, the anger he had a hard time controlling was back as well as a certain aching sting in his gums. Still, he talked to the girl who had once again asked another question. Something about how beauty isn't blah blah blah. He didn't really care but he argued back, it felt normal and he really wanted to feel normal.

Not that he could.

Not that he ever could again.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Practice was in a few minutes and Stiles was glad for it.

He felt on edge, his skin almost prickly with the need to do something, anything physical.

He'd gathered his stuff in the locker room with Scott and changed before making their way to the field.

"But if you play, I'll have no one to talk to on the bench, you really going to do that to your best friend?" Stiles was enjoying the banter, but he could feel that Scott wasn't. His answer said it all.

"I can't sit out again. My whole life is sitting on the side lines. This season I make first line." Scott's tone was annoyed and Stiles didn't miss the look back to the bleachers where he was sure Allison was sitting with Lydia.

Stiles ignored that as he went to take his place on the bench. He heard Coach tell Scott to be goalie, heard his reasoning and frowned. Wow, dick move coach. He heard Allison ask Lydia who Scott was from behind him. Her answer stung, even Stiles and he had to keep himself from turning around to answer Allison himself. He wasn't supposed to be listening, hell he wasn't even supposed to be able to hear them from the distance he was. So he ignored it and focused on his friend's misfortune.

Still, he knew there was nothing much he could do for Scott. God knows Stiles didn't want to take his place. At least, that's what he thought until the first ball hit Scott in the face.

Anger surged in Stiles as the players mocked his friend. The need to protect his buddy was life fire in his vines and before he could help it, he found himself beside Coach, telling the older man he would take Scott's place in the goal.

The Coach took one look at him and laughed out loud.

"Yeah, why not. You're even skinnier than McCall." He ignored his anger once again as he walked to Scott, helping his friend up before telling him to take a seat.

"No Stiles." Scott argued, eyes hard and his grip on Stiles' hand like iron. "I have to do this. I can't sit around anymore. I want this. Please."

He didn't know what Scott was asking for, but by the look on his face, neither did Scott. So Stiles sighed before retreating. His friend needed to do this on his own. Needed to take the hits as they came. He'd known that earlier, so why, why was he so angry all of a sudden. Yeah, Scott was like his brother but this was kind of over doing it, right? You're not crushing on Scott now are you?

He wasn't though. He knew he wasn't. His feelings for Lydia were stronger and more…affectionate than his feelings for Scott, so what was with all the coddling?

Not like he had much to worry about though.

Scott seemed to strengthen during his short talk with Stiles. When Stiles returned to the bench, he could feel Scott's determination and anger. It was so weird, but it reassured him as the next player took his place to try and score.

Stiles was so surprised when Scott caught the ball with only a bit of fumbling. The soft yell of triumph left him before he realized it.

The next one came and Scott caught that one two. Pride filled Stiles suddenly and the yell was louder this time, a call of 'yeah' he was sure his friend heard.

Again, the ball came and Scot caught it. At this point, Stiles was on his feet, pumping his fist in the air. "That's my friend!" He called to anyone who would listen as Scott smiled at him.

He stopped being excited when he heard Allison and Lydia cheer behind him. Jealousy surged inside of him and he was surprised. What is with the freakin mood swings today! Come on Stiles! Get your shit together.

Jackson pushed with way to the front of the line of guys and stared Scott down. Stiles heard Scott's soft 'oh god' and he felt bad for his friend.

He can do this. He can so so do this. He's been training all summer. He blocked the first three shots, he can do this. Come on Scotty boy, you can do this.

And he did do it.

Jackson's jump shot was weakened when the Captain jumped wrong, something no one would have noticed but Stiles did. The shot went too far left, it wouldn't have made it in the goal even if Scott let it go. That would be very embarrassing there Jackson Stiles realized with a smile, but Scott didn't let it go.

Scott caught the ball even though he didn't have to. Stiles was sure Scott realized it was a far ball, but it didn't matter. Stiles realized Scott just hadn't wanted Jackson to be embarrassed.

Stiles cheered with everyone else, not even feeling the second surge of jealousy as he heard Lydia's voice yell loud and clear. He was too excited for his friend who smiled at him and the crowd with that grin Stiles knew since they were little boys.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"So what happened out there?"

Stiles allowed himself to step into the little stream, the water soaking his already wet shoes as he headed for the tree trunk next.

"I don't know I just had this rush of energy." Scott answered. "It was like I had all the time in the world to catch the ball."

Stiles shook his head. "Not that man, why'd you catch Jackson's. You had to know that wasn't going to make it."

They were silent for a little while before Scott spoke again. "I don't know that either man I just..I guess I didn't want to be the one embarrassing him. Didn't want to play his game. What happened with the pen thing though, you've been acting weird all day too Stiles."

Stiles shook his head, not wanting to give voice to his thoughts.

Everything weird started last night with the body, but Stiles only started feeling weird in the morning. After the bite.

"You don't think werewolves exist do you?" He asked Scott with only a bit of concern. Scott must have picked up on the concern.

"What do you mean? Are you worried about the bite? Didn't you say there aren't any wolves in California?" Scott's voice was weird and Stiles couldn't understand why, but he didn't try as he searched for something to say to defend himself.

"It's not like that man. All this hearing things, smelling thing, it's not normal. Who knows, maybe there are such things as werewolves and now I'm one of them."

Scott snorted and Stiles felt himself bristle, literally bristle.

"If you really are a werewolf man, don't even think about coming over this weekend. Friday's a full moon."

The laugh was clear in Scott's voice and Stiles shook his head before making them stop.

"This is it." Stiles announced.

"What?" Scott asked, obviously confused. There was no body, no blood, no nothing and Stiles could understand his confusion, even if he wasn't feeling the same.

"Someone moved the body." He said it with more certainty than he really should have had, but he was certain. He smelled it here, the scent of blood and…and he didn't know. "Maybe the killer."

"Really?" Scott's form crouched down to the area the body had been last night. "If he did I hope he left your phone because those things are like $100 bucks and you told me I could have it when you got a new one."

Suddenly Stiles stiffed. He felt the presence of another, felt the air shift and a scent rise up. He looked up only to spot a man clad in leather standing a ways away from them.

Stiles quickly slapped at Scott's shoulder, getting his friend to rise and face the danger with him.

"What are you doing here?" The voice was deep, the face one Stiles recognized but he didn't really understand why. "This is private property."

And just like that Stiles knew where he'd seen the man before. Derek Hale.

"Sorry, we didn't know." He said lamely, every muscle in his body drawn up tight as if ready for a fight.

"We were just looking for something." Scott answered. "But forget it."

The man pulled something out of his pocket and threw it in Scott's direction. Stiles didn't notice his hand shoot out to catch it until it was already clenched in his palm. Green eyes turned to Stiles and the shiver that raked his body was unstoppable.

It was his phone.

Before Stiles could say anything, the man turned and walked away.

"Who the hell was that?" Scott breathed as he did a full body shake, almost as if trying to shake off all of the creepy. Stiles actually wanted to do one too, but he was too caught up.

"Dude, that was Derek Hale. You remember right, he's only like a few years older than us."

Scott gave Stiles a weird look before shaking his head.

"It doesn't matter man, I gotta get to work. You got your phone back."

"Dude!" Stiles stopped him. "It's the guy whose family burned to death in a fire like ten years ago."

"Well, what's he don't back?"

Stiles frowned at the question and decided he'd figure that out himself.

!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

He had, in fact, found out something, but it wasn't what he had expecting.

Animal hairs were found on the lower half of the boy found in the woods. Not just any animal though, wolf hairs.

Oh god I'm a werewolf.

And that was when the research started. Anything and everything he could find online and in books, google, Wikipedia, discovery network, myths and legends sites, he read through any information he could find and by the end of it all, he was more sure than he'd ever been.

I'm a werewolf. He needed to talk to Scott.

The knock on his door made his jump, his systems on overload with information and questions and fears. When he opened the door to find Scott standing there a smile on his face, he sighed in relief.

"Come on, get in, I have to show you show something. I've been up all night, reading. Websites, books, all of this." He pointed to the papers he had printed scattered around his floor.

"How much Adderall have you had today?" Scott asked with a smile and that threw Stiles for a loop. He'd completely forgot about his Adderall.

"Actually, I didn't really have any." Scott shot him a worried look but Stiles shook his head, pushing the questions away. "It doesn't matter, just listen-"

"oh is this about the body? Did they find out who did it?"

Stiles felt the conversation get off the real topic but he couldn't help it, he had a bit of information on that subject too. "No, they're still questioning people, even Derek Hale."

"Oh that guy in the woods that we saw the other day."

"Yeah, but that's not it okay, listen." Stiles thought about a good way of breaking it down but he didn't really have one. He needed to tell Scott, needed to see if his best friend agreed with his theory. "You remember the joke, from the other day? Yeah, not a joke anymore."

Scott's confused look had Stiles exasperated. "The wolf! The bite in the woods! I started doing all this reading. Do you even know why a wolf howls?" He stood up as he asked, his body's natural jumpiness kicked up a notch in fear that his best friend wouldn't believe him, wouldn't accept him because of what he'd become, but that's stupid. This was Scott.

"Should I?" Scott asked. God he looked so confused and Stiles didn't know how to make it sink in.

"It's a signal. Okay? When a wolf's alone it howls to signal its location to the rest of the pack. Maybe the howling I heard that night was a signal too, maybe there are more of them or-"

"Wait." Scott called, breaking Stiles' thought process, "You didn't tell me you heard a howl."

Stiles scowled and waved his hand, dismissing the question. "That doesn't matter, but maybe there could have been other, maybe like a whole pack of them!"

"A whole pack of wolves?" Scott was getting the seriousness now, he looked scared, not as scared as Stiles felt, but you know, pretty scared.

"No." He said, only to look desperately at Scott, urging the other boy to believe his words. "Werewolves."

For a second he thought he got through to his friend, but then Scott stood.

"Are you seriously wasting my time with this? You know I'm picking up Allison in an hour."

And Stiles felt his stomach sink. Its Friday…it's a full moon.

"Look Stiles, we'll talk tomorrow-"

Stiles felt his insides clentch. "Tomorrow?! Scott don't you get it? The full moon is tonight I need you to-"

"What are you trying to do?!" Scott yelled back. "I just made first line, I finally have a date with a girl I can't believe wants to go out with me everything in my life is finally going good, why are you trying to ruin it?"

Stiles dropped into his computer chair and sighed. He couldn't ask for Scott's help. Couldn't rely on him. Stiles suddenly realized that and it deflated everything he'd felt all night. He had needed Scott to understand, needed Scott's help. The full moon doesn't just cause the physical change, Stiles will be faced with blood lust at its peak, and he's going to have to do it alone.

"Yeah man. Yeah…" Stiles said lamely, not looking at Scott. "Sorry, I guess I'm just paranoid or something."

Scott wasn't fooled though, he caught onto the fact something was wrong, but all he said was "I'm sorry. I got to go get ready for that…party."

Stiles stayed still and silent as Scott left, his desperation slowly being replaced by anger. He needed Scott to leave, needed to calm down before he changed or something. Anything that raised his pulse would cause a change, that couldn't happen. He needed control, he was all alone in this.

"So you know what you are."

Stiles jumped, his hands flying up and a growl leaving his throat before he even realized it.

Derek Hale stood in the middle of his room, facing him calmly with his hands in his pockets.

"It's you!" Stiles growled, lunging forward in a burst of power he'd never felt before. His gums stung again but now he knew what it was, his teeth were growing, his fangs coming out as part of the change. "It was you!"

Derek caught him easily, spinning with his momentum to drop Stiles hard on his bed, holding Stiles there with all his weight.

"No it wasn't." The older man said, still just as calm as he had been when he came in.

"Why am I supposed to believe you?! You're a werewolf too aren't you? I bet your whole family was! That's why-"

Blue eyes flashed and Stiles was momentarily stunted as claws sank into his chest and he was slammed hard on the floor by the bed, Derek again on top of him. Suddenly Derek had fangs too, his face covered in hair or is it fur?

"Don't." Derek growled right into his face. "Bring my family into this."

Stiles didn't struggle and that surprised him. He didn't feel the need to struggle, even though another werewolf was threatening him. Wasn't the full moon supposed to be the peak of bloodlust?

"I'm trying to help."

Derek's voice was softer now, not the growl it had once been, and that's when Stiles noticed the nails that had dug into his chest were gone and the wounds inflicted were already healing. Just like the bite had.

"Why?" Stiles managed behind his mouth full of teeth.

Sadness passed by Derek's face right before Stiles' eyes, but it was gone in seconds, anger taking its place.

"Whoever turned you, killed my sister."

Stiles was thrown, but quickly the pieces all fell into place in his mind. He was smart after all, smarter than a lot a people gave him credit for. "The body in the woods. That was your sister?"

A stiff nod was his own response as Derek stood, escaping to the other side of the room away from Stiles.

Stiles didn't get up right away. Instead he allowed his heart to calm from the surge of anger it had pumped through. This was all making more sense now.

"So you weren't the one that bit me?" He asked, just to make sure.

He could feel Derek's anger like a whip crackling the air between them so he added hastily "Just making sure."

"Yeah, well make sure you understand something. I'm here to help."

For some reason, Stiles believed him. Oddly enough, and as much of a creeper Derek was, there was something about him that made Stiles think he was telling the truth.

"You want any more proof, listen to my heart beat. When people lie, their heart speeds up."

Stiles gave Derek an odd look from the floor, whether or not Derek was able to see him or he was able to see Derek didn't matter, the look was universally translated.

"Seriously? That stuff works? How can I hear your heart?"

"You concentrate. Tune out the useless, everyday sounds and pick out the ones that matter."

Derek was speaking softly now, instructing Stiles on what to do, and Stiles found himself actually tried.

He closed his eyes and listened.

Dogs barking, people yelling, water running, he could hear his neighborhood perfectly, but that was background noise, not what he wanted. It was harder than he expected to sort out the sounds, but when he heard multiple steady thumps in back of everything, he focused on them.

"There are a lot of heartbeats." He murmured to himself, but Derek caught it apparently.

"There always will be, you have to distinguish them per person. Every heartbeat is slight different so look for something to distinguish mine from anyone else's."

Stiles frowned and furrowed his brows but he understood. Every heart has a different speed, beats at a different strength, some even skip certain beats, all of that information is researchable and Stiles had already done that research back when he was having sever panic attacks. So he knew what Derek was talking about.

Soon enough, he did find it.

Derek's heart was strong, but it had one stutter at every third beat. As Stiles focused on each single beat, he realized how calming it was.

All day his skin had crawled, his insides had twisted, and his heart had pounded. All day he'd been scared about when the moon rose, about what he would be capable of, about what he would actually do. He didn't want to kill anyone, didn't want to turn into some strange and horrible beast.

But laying on his back on the floor, listening to the normal, human heartbeat of another werewolf just like him, Stiles finally felt himself calm.

"How do you keep from losing control? From killing people?"

He didn't know what prompted him to ask, maybe it was what Derek had said before, about being there to help. Scott had left him on his own without even giving him the benefit of the doubt. He'd chosen Allison, a girl he had really just met, over Stiles' need for a friend, a touch stone. So what would it matter if he took help from Derek. After all, the older man was actually offering it.

It took Derek a while to answer, and Stiles would have wondered if the other werewolf was still there had it not been for his steady heartbeat.

"Other wolves call it and 'anchor'. It's something to help you keep your humanity. A memory, an emotion, a person, there are as many different anchors as there are werewolves." Derek explained calmly, his voice lowering with every word.

"What's your anchor?"

There was a double stutter in the steady heartbeat and Stiles frowned, he was about to take the question back when Derek spoke.

"Anger."

Stiles pushed himself off the floor and gave the older man a weird look. "Dude, are you serious? Anger is the thing that keeps you linked to your humanity?"

Derek frowned at him, keeping his mouth firmly shut as Stiles stared.

"I have my reason. This isn't about me though, this is about you. You have to find your anchor, before the full moon rises in two hours." Derek stepped around Stiles' form that still sat on the floor by his bed, and made his way towards the window that Stiles finally noticed was wide open.

"Wait! Hang on! So you're just going to leave? You're not gonna stay and make sure I'm not going to like, eat someone or something?" He stood up completely and reached for Derek's shoulder, but Derek easily evaded him, turning to pin Stiles with sharp mist green eyes.

"I gave you the information you can't find on Google. There's nothing else I can do. Are you forgetting the fact that there is a rabid Alpha out there turning people at the slightest provocation?"

Stiles knew the jab was directed at him, but he couldn't help it. He just…didn't want to go through the change alone.

"I know, I know but maybe I can…I don't know, help you? Just…get me through this full moon. Help me keep control and I'll help you alright? We'll find the Alpha and keep him from turning anyone else." He didn't know why he insisted, didn't even know why he'd offered his own help, but he knew he didn't want to risk losing control.

Derek's hard eyes seemed to soften but Stiles figured he was just seeing things.

"Alright." Derek agreed.

And Stiles was finally able to breathe. He wouldn't be alone.


	2. Episode Two: Second Chance at Front Line

TV Shows » Teen WoStiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Two: Second Chance at Front Line

Hunters. Derek waited until they were out in the woods in the middle of the night, fangs, claws, and fur, to talk about hunters.

"Derek! That;s information I could have used like hours ago!" Stiles hissed as his feet took him further into the woods. He'd found his anchor, and he didn't like it at all.

"Stiles, pain is one of the basic anchors for every wolf. It's not your anchor specifically, so stop whining and run, they aren't going to stop chasing us."

Stiles wanted to turn around and snarl at Derek he really did, but Derek was doing him a favor. He had to remind himself of that fifteen different times that night, one of which was when one of the hunters shot a goddamn arrow through his forearm. An arrow! Like that kind of thing is still cool or something. It was lucky Derek had been there. Actually, screw that, Derek was the one who dragged me out of my house for a leisurely moonlight run! But that had been to protect his father, should the man come home during the night.

So Derek had dragged Stiles out during the light, walking together, side by side down the street. He'd left his dad a note and he was still too pissed off at Scott to message the boy about where he was going, so if his trust in Derek was misplaced, he'd soon be dead. Didn't matter now, not really, since Derek wasn't the one who tried to kill him tonight.

"Who the hell was that?!" Stiles panted, hands on his knees as he stood on the burnt and broken front porch of the burnt up old Hale house. Apparently this was the place Derek was staying. Seriously, the guys creepy meter goes up with every new piece of information. I may have made a bad decision here somewhere folks.

"Chris Argent." Derek growled in anger and something Stiles didn't really recognize. He needed to become an expert at decoding Derek Hale otherwise this relationship was going to be a downhill spiral.

Wait, did he say Argent? Stiles physically felt his guts sink into the soles of his feet. His head spun and before he even realized it he was tipping forward. The strong arm around his chest stopped his fall and he was soon pulled up, his back against a warm chest.

"Are you okay?" There was concern there, something Stiles really wasn't sure Derek was capable of until now, but that was okay. He leaned on the arm around his chest as he mind raced.

Chris Argent? Related to Allison Argent, probably her dad by the looks of him. Oh god, I set my best friend up with a girl who hunts werewolves. Oh my god, I set my best friend up with a girl who is going to be going after ME!

"Oh man, I need to sit down." He didn't even bother pushing Derek's arm away, he just dropped right there at the bigger man's feet butt first on the rotten wood. "I'm gonna be sick."

He could feel Derek's frown at the back of his neck but the humor in that only registered subconsciously, his conscious mind however was in turmoil.

"Stiles?" Derek's voice was tight, but he didn't bother answer. He needed to sort out his mind, needed to think. "Is it really so bad Stiles?"

And just like that, the thoughts flew out of his head. He turned his torso, looking up into Derek's face. "What?"

"That you can see better, hear more clearly, move faster than any human could ever hope?" Stiles was just a little confused, but it didn't matter, Derek went on. "You've been given something that most people would kill for. The bite is a gift."

"Whoa! Dude, calm down, I wasn't like, it wasn't about-" Derek's eyes felt like lava rolling down his face as the man stepped away, turning his back on Stiles. "Wait! Wait okay, it's not about the bite. It's actually kind of cool, awesome really. I mean…I'm a werewolf. Dude, I'm a freakin' werewolf, I get that kinda accepted that a while ago. It wasn't that man, I promise." Stiles was trying to say anything and everything to get Derek to turn around, to not go running off and leaving Stiles there alone on the porch or a decapitated house. Somewhere along the lines he must have said something right because Derek did turn around, a smirk on his face.

"I think you're the first turned person I ever met who called the bite 'awsome'." Derek said with a shake of his head.

Stiles laughed out loud at the way Derek sounded saying the word.

Derek walked to the porch stairs, sitting on the top one and rolling his eyes at Stiles. "I'm serious though. It's not all bad. Once you have control. And you're going to need me to help you get control. You and me…we're brothers."

Something about that sentence, that last part in particular, rubbed Stiles the wrong way. He didn't really like it but he didn't really know why. He'd called Scott a brother multiple times. So instead of voicing his irritation, he opted for questioning.

"Do you have any?"

Derek looked back at him in confusion and Stiles scooted forward until he was seated next to Derek on the top of the stairs. "Brothers I mean. Did you any like, real brothers."

Derek's eyes hardened, his body stiffed and Stiles felt it through the few inches that separated their sides. He felt Derek shut down and Stiles yelled at himself for being so stupid. They were sitting on the porch of the man's burned down childhood home, how freakin stupid was that question.

"Just one. I had a lot of cousins though, two sisters." The answer was clipped and the tone was begging Stiles not to ask any more questions. Begging with a very sharp knife and the thread of death. Okay, personal question are a no no.

"I always wondered what it was like." He said quickly, turning the topic away from Derek and onto himself. "To have siblings, you know? I mean, I've known Scott for years and we're close but-" He didn't finish. Not that he had to finish. This situation was enough of an answer really. Scott wasn't here, Scott hadn't even believed him. Scott wanted a date with an actual girl over helping Stiles. "I always figured siblings, real ones, are the ones who never let you down. You know, at least when things are serious. They're always there to have your back."

He knew his tone was lowering, his sadness almost a palpable thing but he couldn't help it. It was lonely at home. Just him and his dad, not that he didn't love his father but…he had wanted a sibling.

"You know wolves have packs." Derek said and Stiles couldn't distinguish the weird tone of voice.

"Yeah. And?" Stiles prompted, wanting to know where this was going. Derek's face showed exactly how slow he thought Stiles was, but the younger teen just shrugged his shoulders repeatedly and fast, flailing his hands to get Derek to go on.

"Packs are a wolf's only family. When you are in a pack, you have a place, a purpose in it that only you are able to fill. Parents, litter mates, none of it matters because the connection to pack is stronger than anything humans feel for their 'families'."

Stiles sort of understands where Derek is going with the speech, and he can't help but feel the warmth spread across his chest and stomach.

"So, what are you saying? That we are like, pack or something?" He was smiling, his tone belligerent, joking around with hope. When he got Derek to smile, he felt pride.

"You need me to learn control. I need you to help stop the Alpha. We might not be pack, but we're something." Derek answered and that was okay for Stiles. For now he didn't even miss Scott, though thinking about his friend made the sting of betrayal rise all over again.

"Come on." Derek rose from his seat, slapping a hand on Stiles' shoulder, the touch sending a jolt of something through his arm. "We got about two hours of moonlight left and you seem okay for now. Let's take you home before your dad starts to worry. Don't worry Stiles, we'll figure it out."

The walk back to the house was much more peaceful than the walk out to the woods.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

The Argent bombshell didn't hit him again until Monday morning.

He'd ignored all of Scott's attempts for contact, opting instead to familiarize himself with his senses.

Stiles realized over the weekend that he didn't need his Adderall anymore. He still had bouts of hyper activity, but those were emotional more than mental. He found ways to keep himself calm, one of them was listening for heartbeats. It was reassuring for some reason, but it was always other people's, never his own.

When no one was in the house - which was often with the other half of the body still not found, though Stiles was pretty sure Derek was the one who took it. It'd been his sister after all. - he would instead work on his sight and smell.

He knew every house-hold secret in his neighborhood by the end of the weekend and he felt he had a pretty good handle on controlling his wolf-atude. That's why when he saw Scott on Monday morning in front of his school parking lot waiting for him, he didn't instantly rip his best friend's throat out for betraying him last Friday night.

"Dude, hey. You didn't answer my calls all weekend." Scott said as Stiles climbed out of his car, his backpack over one shoulder and his eyes on everything but his best friend.

"Yeah, was a little busy." He answered testily. Scott wasn't giving up though, he followed after Stiles.

"So hey, maybe we should talk about that werewolf thing. Did you find out anymore? Did you change during the full moon or what?" Stiles could hear the laugh in Scott's voice as he asked. He knew Scott wasn't mocking him or anything, Scott was trying to joke about it as a way to break the ice, a way to get Stiles to say something sarcastic so they could go back to their usual banter and move on from the friendship stump they've tripped over. But even knowing all of that, Stiles was angry.

"You would know if you'd believed in me and helped me out!" Stiles growled as he turned on Scott. He knew his teeth were now fangs and some part of him was satisfied when Scott gasped and backed away from him with wide, frightened eyes.

"Holy shit dude!" Scott yelled, getting the attention of passer-byers. Stiles gained control over his teeth before turning on his heal and walking away.

It took a little longer this time, but Scott still followed behind him, his voice kept low this time so others wouldn't hear.

"So you were serious? You weren't kidding, you're a freakin werewolf?"

Stiles rolled his eyes at his dense friend. "No Scott, I'm the god damn tooth fairy, can't you see my wings? Yeah man. I'm a werewolf."

Scott was smiling when he got in front of Stiles and blocked his path. "Dude that's kind of awesome."

Stiles tried, he really did, but he couldn't hold out for long. Soon enough he was smiling too.

"So like, what can you do? Are you faster now? Can you see in black and white? Do you have claws? I saw your teeth but do you go hairy and stuff all over?" Scott asked question after question and Stiles pushed it all away, right up until he saw Allison Argent waiting by Scott's locker.

He froze, his whole body tense as he remembered the man who'd shot him in the arm with a crossbow.

"Stiles?" He only heard Scott's voice distantly as he saw Allison spot him and Scott and make her way to them.

"Hey Scott." She smiled before turning to Stiles. "You're Stiles right? Scott told me you're his best friend."

He nodded his head mutely, trying to organize his brain and work out everything before he acted on reflex and ripped her to shreds. He was a threat on him and Derek. Not THE threat though Stiles. Stay calm. She's related to the threat. We don't even know if she knows about her father, she could be just a normal girl completely oblivious to her family secrets.

"Anyways." She turned to Scott with a smile. "I have to go meet Lydia before class. See you there?"

Scott answered with something Stiles didn't really pay attention too and soon the threat was gone and Stiles body finally relaxed.

As soon as she was out of earshot though, Scott rounded on him.

"Dude, what the hell was that! You were staring at her like you wanted to eat her. You know I called dibs right? And what about Lydia, did you have a crush on her since like-"

Stiles pushed at Scott's chest, a little harder than necessary but not enough to push the boy away.

"Man, I think we need to talk."

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Lacrosse practice came fast and Stiles was slightly nervous.

He had taught himself ways to control his change, keep his heart rate in check, but never in a high-stress situation. He wasn't sure he could keep control. Not the mention what the whole Friday night talk to Scott had done to his heart. He was on edge and he knew it, one small incident could send him over the edge. Still, he wasn't going to quit Lacrosse. Not yet.

But soon he realized that had been a bad move.

Everything started off fine, Jackson was on Defense today with players lined up to get passed him. Scott got laid out and that's when the bad started.

Coach man Scott go twice, the first was brutal. Stiles could feel his claws coming out as he gripped his stick almost to the point of snapping it. It was hard watching someone hurt his friend, his 'pack' Stiles realized. He knew what Derek meant now. The need to have his brother's back was over whelming. So when Scott got past Jackson on his second try, Stiles was relieved, right up until Jackson slammed into Scott from behind after Scott had made the goal.

Rage was a dangerous thing and when it was Stiles' turn, it took over.

"Stilinski! You're up! Go go go!" He could hear the coach in the distance, but his focus was on Jackson who didn't seem to care about Stiles one way or another, just about blocking.

And that was his mistake.

Stiles came at him like a bulldozer, he dropped Jackson to the ground, hearing something in the other boy's shoulder crack, but he was overwhelmed by the sense of the attack. He had taken down prey, had protected his pack, his instincts were screaming.

Suddenly Scott was by his side.

"Stiles! Stiles what's wrong. Come on man get up."

"Scott, it's happening, I can't control it, I can't-" He stopped, his senses picking up on something misplaced, something familiar.

"Come on man, we'll get you inside. Come on!"

Scott rushed with him into the school's locker room, but not before Stiles caught a glimpse of Derek.

Oh thank god. Derek.

Once he was inside though, he was lost.

He pushed Scott away, trying to get the boy to leave, to run so he wouldn't hurt him, but it was too late. Instinct took over and as Scott stumbled back, Stiles prepared to strike.

Again there was the arm around his chest and the warm hard presence at his back. Neither was welcomed at the time and Stiles tried to rip away, but Derek held strong, his claws sinking into Stiles' upper arm, the pain bringing the younger boy back to himself.

"What are you doing! Stop!" Scott was yelling, rushing forward only to be pushed back by Derek.

"Don't get any closer!" He called as his grip on Stiles strengthened.

"D-Derek." Stiles groaned, his body giving out only to be grabbed before he hit the ground. This was becoming a familiar scene.

"You idiot! You knew you wouldn't be able to keep control, why did you still go out there." Derek scolded, setting Stiles down on one of the benches as Scott looked on, a very confused scowl on his face.

"I was doing fine until Jackson-" He tried to argue but as his heart pounded at the argument, he felt his teeth come down again.

"You're eyes are flashing you idiot, get yourself under control." Derek called, clipping the side of Stiles head. Stiles growled for a moment before taking a deep breath and focusing his hearing.

He found Derek's heartbeat with ease, the melody already slightly familiar. The other heartbeat though, Scott's he realized, was frantic, scared, stuttering and thrashing in the boy's ribcage. Stiles suddenly noticed Scott was having trouble breathing.

"Oh shit!" He bolted up and rushed for Scott's locker. The inhaler was there when he looked and he brought it to Scott in seconds, putting it up to the boy's face as Scott wheezed. "I'm sorry man, come on, take a breath."

Scott did as he was told and soon enough his breathing was under control but not his heart.

"What the hell Stiles!" Scott yelled and Stiles actually flinched back at the high pitch his friend shouldn't be able to reach.

A hand landed on his shoulder before it was gone and so was Derek's presence.

"That's the part of the story I didn't tell you." Stiles admitted before jumping into the tale before Scott could say anything.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"You need to stay away from Lacrosse."

Stiles didn't even have the energy to be surprised as Derek's voice assaulted him the second he stepped into his bedroom.

His dad was downstairs pouring over files and Stiles was drained. He really didn't want to argue with Derek.

"Yeah, I know."

"Then what were you doing out there?" Derek asked with irritation as Stiles fell face first into his bed.

"I don't know Derek." Stiles answered with a bit more snark. "I just- I was practicing. It was easy to control when there wasn't a reason to need it. I figured I could, I don't know, keep my cool."

"Yeah, I saw how well you kept your cool. You shifted Stiles, right there in front of everyone. If they find out what you are, it's not only going to be the hunters after us, it's going to be everyone."

"They didn't see anything Derek." Stiles argued, sitting up and turned to face the man. "And they won't see anything. I won't play. I can't say I'll quit the team, but I won't play until I learn more control."

This seemed to placate Derek enough for the older wolf to sit down too.

"Seriously Stiles." Derek sighed, his head in his hands. "I thought you were smarter than that."

The jab sent a bolt of anger through Stiles body but he managed to keep it down with a deep breath.

"You're eyes change too you know."

"What?" The comment was so random Stiles was taken aback as he looked up to find Derek staring straight at him.

"You're eyes. It's not just your claws and fangs and the hair. Your eyes shift too." Derek demonstrated, the flash of sky blue send a shiver through Stiles that he just couldn't explain.

"Really? Are mine the same kind of electric blue?"

Derek shook his head, his face taking on the sadness Stiles was getting used to seeing. "No. They're yellow, almost gold. That's the normal color for werewolves, for Omegas and Betas anyways."

Suddenly, Stiles remembered the question he'd wanted to ask but got distracted from before.

"Oh that right! Can you explain pack dynamics to me?"

Derek's eyebrow raise was also starting to become a familiar sight and it made Stiles smile.

"Why do you want to know?"

Stiles shrugged before opening his mouth to answer. He hadn't thought about it, but as the words came out, he realized they were true. "I just figured it was something I'd need to know. I don't want to be a lone wolf all my life, I like the thought of a pack, a family."

"Omega." Derek interjected, confusing Stiles.

"What?"

"Lone wolves. They are the Omegas. Those that wander without a pack." Derek tilted his head. "Although the eye color doesn't always correspond, it changes depending on what you are."

Stiles nodded, following along. "Alright, I'm game. So what are you, what does blue mean?"

Again with the sad look, Stiles was really beginning to question Derek's strength of character, until the man spoke up again. "A killer. That's what blue means. It means that an innocent person died at the hands of the wolf with blue eyes. A lot of the time, packs hunt animals in the woods, but if someone wonders too far into the forest, its hard to hold back our nature and a hunt turns into murder. Everyone goes through the first hunt though, its like pack initiation."

"So you had to kill someone?" Stiles felt mortified. He'd thought the color of Derek's eyes were amazing, almost breathtaking, but if what they meant was so bad, he wasn't sure how to feel anymore. To kill and innocent person, he didn't even think Derek was capable of such a thing if he were being honest...now he wasn't sure.

"Not just anyone, an innocent human. She...was bitten Stiles. She was suffering, she asked me to..take away the pain." Derek explained quickly, though his eyes wouldn't meet Stiles'.

Still, the young werewolf calmed at the explanation. Okay, that's really freakin' terrible, but way better than becoming a cold blooded murderer.

"So what do red eyes mean? The werewolf that bit me had red eyes." Stiles was pretty sure what it meant, but it never hurt to have the theories confirmed.

"Red eyes are Alpha's eyes. An Alpha's bite is the only one that can turn people." Stiles had sort of guessed at that one too.

"So it really wasn't you that turned me." Stiles murmured, but Derek heard him.

"What, you didn't believe me the first time?" The wounded sound of Derek's voice made Stiles smile just a bit before he shook himself out of it.

"No, I mean, yeah, I mean. Yes. I believed you, it's just nice to have proof you know?"

Derek nodded before he rose from the bed and walked towards the window. "Make sure you stay away from the field. It seems you're very protective of the people you consider pack. If Scott gets hurt again, you could lose control."

"B-but he's first line!" Stiles argued. "I can't just not see him play."

Derek turned and pinned Stiles with those misty green eyes that were starting to grow on him. "Then figure out a way to control you instinct. You have very strong sense of Pack, you want to protect him and that isn't bad. What's bad is how far you would go to do it."

And just like that, Derek was gone.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Did you take the body? You now, the one in the woods. Your sister."

Stiles really hadn't wanted to ask. He hadn't even wanted to bring it up, but he couldn't really help it. The game was coming up and his father had enforced curfew on the whole town. The Alpha was still on the loose and no one had any clues. His dad was on a direct train to danger and Stiles needed to find a way to help, but he couldn't if he didn't know anything more.

So he'd gone to Derek and decided to be straight.

Apparently, it had been the best decision given the circumstances.

"Yes." Derek answered stiffly.

Stiles just nodded. Sensing the tension. He trusted Derek at this point. The man wasn't a murderer, he was just a werewolf trying to keep everything from falling apart and Stiles could sympathize.

"Why did you guys come back anyways?"

This seemed to be an easier question for Derek, because he didn't answer with nearly as much strain.

"Laura found out something. Something about the fire that killed our family. We came back here for more answers but-"

"But someone wanted to keep their own secret. Yeah I get it." Stiles interjected, sighing at the hopelessness of the situation. "Did you at least give her a burial?"

Derek nodded stiffly, his gaze going to the side of the house where Stiles had originally smelled the blood. That had been what had actually prompted him to dig tonight. The night was only meant to be a lesson in control. They'd been getting into the habit of practicing when Stiles' father was away at night and it always somehow ended up being at the old Hale house. Derek had started Stiles on martial arts so the teen would have more knowledge than just how to swing his claws around. Stiles had to say, it helped keep him under control, when he knew he could fight back with more than instincts.

"My dad thinks it was an animal attack." He said off handedly, practicing his sight as he peered into the forest. "Something red." He called out right after.

"Really?" The sardonic tone of voice wasn't meant as a dig to his father's skills as a cop, at least, Stiles hoped it wasn't. "He's kinda right though, isn't he?" Derek answered before he called out his answer. "Red brick fence, seven miles out."

"Damnit!" Stiles called, tossing his head back in defeat. "I thought for sure you wouldn't be able to see that one."

Derek snorted. "I've had longer at this than you pup."

That's another thing, ever since the training had started, Derek had gotten into the habit of calling him canine baby names. Pup, puppy, cub all of them had been used at some point. Also at some point, Stiles had stopped fighting it.

"Yeah yeah. I wonder if all pure-bred dogs have the same pompous attitude you do." He jabbed back, getting a chuckle out of Derek.

When he left that night, he left without any new clues to add to his minimal collection.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Please tell me you found something on Derek." Scott's voice was pleading and Stiles' was annoyed as he answered.

"No, because Derek isn't the killer. Didn't I tell you that? It was his sister man, why would he kill his sister."

"Stiles, it has to be Derek. There is literally nobody else. You are spending too much time with him, he's messing with you or something."

Stiles groaned into the phone as Scott argued the same topic again. They had gone back of forth on this since that afternoon in the locker room. Scott didn't trust Derek but Stiles did.

"Who's the werewolf here buddy?" Stiles asked. Of course, he was ignored.

"I'm serious man, your dad needs to catch whoever did this by Saturday. If the curfew is still up, I won't be able to go out with Allison." And with that bit of information, Stiles suddenly knew why Scott was pushing so hard that the murderer was Derek, even though Stiles denied it every time.

"Scott, you can't be serious. Derek had been teaching me how to control myself man, he's been helping me! He's looking for the killer too you know. It wasn't him."

"Stiles, he's got you confused or something. It was him man, everything points to him. You even told me that he admitted to taking the body from the woods."

Stiles felt protective or Derek so he argued. "It was his sister man, he wanted to give her a place to rest, a burial. Besides, he already lost most of his family in the fire, why would he take out his own sister?"

"Maybe the fire was his fault and his sister knew. You said he told you that she'd figured something out and that's why they came back, he could have killed her to keep her quite."

"But why do it in Beacon Hills? Why not kill her before she ever set foot back here again? They had no family Scott, no one would miss her, so why kill her in the woods of Beacon Hills?"

"I don't know Stiles, he wanted to get caught?" There was shuffling and then Scott sighed. "Come on man, it has to be Derek. It can't be anyone else. Your dad needs to bust Derek and get this curfew off of everyone's backs. Allison told me to invite you know. Lydia is going to be there."

The thought wasn't as tempting as it would have been a couple of days ago. In fact, the thought was actually a little repulsive. "Yeah, with Jackson Whittmore, sucking face. I don't need to see that man, have mercy on my soul I don't remember doing some evil, demented things in my past lives." Scott's laugh was a relief. Maybe his friend would finally let it go. No such luck though.

"So where did he bury her anyways. His sister, if it actually is his sister."

Stiles thought about not telling Scott, thought about all the ways the information could cause harm. But again, like every other argument he'd had with himself on the matter, the answer was always the same. This as Scott.

"Next to the Hale house. I think he wanted her to rest with the rest of the family. You know, pack mentality sort of thing. If I ever died, I know I'd want to be buried near my mother, so I can see where his going."

And that…had been his fatal mistake.

The next time he saw Derek, it was in the back of his dad's police cruiser, hand-cuffed and glowering.

"You told him. I thought I could trust you, I thought you could trust me." Derek had growled.

"I do trust you! I just thought I could trust him too!" Stiles had argued, desperate to get through the cold wall Derek was building up again. But no such luck.

"And can you. Can you trust him?"

Stiles didn't know. He honestly wasn't sure he could trust Scott anymore.

Then his dad pulled him out of the cruiser by the arm and dragged him outside.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Sheriff Stilinski chided, his glare more scalding than Derek's had been in the back of the cruiser.

"I-I.." He didn't know how to answer really, but he figured he would go with the truth, even if it wasn't the whole truth. "I'm just trying to help."

"Alright." He dad said, apparently not letting him off the hook. "Then why don't you help me understand exactly how you came across this."

That's when the Sheriff had Stiles. He honestly didn't know what to say, he couldn't say he was friends with Derek that would bring up way more questions than it answered. He couldn't say he was a werewolf who has super senses, he couldn't say anything really so again, he settled for the truth. Old and incomplete as the truth was.

"Oh-kay. We were…looking for my phone."

"Which you dropped when?"

"The other night."

"The other night when you were out here looking for the first half of the body."

"Yes."

"The night that Scott told me he was alone and you were at home."

"Yes." The word came out before he could catch it and he cursed in his head. "No." He switched with wide eyes, but it was obvious by his father's face that his credibility was out the window. "ah crap."

"So he lied to me." The Sheriff probed Stiles panic and natural instinct kicked in.

"That depends on how you define lying."

"I define it as not telling the truth, how do you define it?"

Stiles stumbled over his thoughts before, once again, his mouth just started moving on its own. "Reclining your body…in a…horizontal…position?"

"Get the hell out of here." His father breathed, giving him an out. Stiles took it. No matter how bad he felt for perpetually fucking Derek over, he was going to take any chance his dad gave, to escape unscathed.

In the car though, when he saw Scott's face, he was ready to let his wolfy side loose on his best friend.

"I can't believe you did that to me." He growled as he drove.

Scott was on his phone, keeping as far away from Stiles as the Jeep allowed. "To you? I didn't do anything to you Stiles! Derek is the murderer, he has to be."

"He was helping me Scott!" Stiles yelled, his voice much deeper than usual. God he was angry, he was so pissed off and the only thing holding him at bay were the few lessons Derek had taught him about control before all of this shit happened. "If it wasn't for him, I would be ripping at your throat right now with my very sharp, very DEADLY teeth!"

"I'm not sorry man! He was helping you because he wanted to control you, wanted you in his pack or something. Didn't you say the eyes defined the pack placement or something? You said his eyes meant he killed someone, why is it so hard to believe that it could be this girl?"

"It was his sister!" Stiles repeated for the millionth time. He was going to lose, he was going to explode and shift and kill Scott.

The betrayal of his truth, it hurt a lot, but most of all it was how Derek had looked at him from the back of the cruiser. He had betrayed Derek too.

"You're going to help me prove he's innocent."

"What?!"

Stiles ignored Scott's rise in pitch as he drove on, the thought making itself a more solid presence in his mind. "You are going to help me find proof that he is innocent. And you better hope to god e forgives you Scott, or I never will."

"Why are you so hung up on this Stiles? You've known him for all of two weeks, maybe less."

He honestly didn't know. He couldn't put it into words though, couldn't articulate his gut feelings, but he knew what it felt like. Derek had helped him when Scott had left. Derek had been there when Stiles lost control and Derek had saved him when the hunters came after them, always keeping Stiles in front so he could make sure he never lost sight of him. But most of all, Derek had lost his whole family. Even his sister.

"Because he understands." Stiles decided to say. It wasn't all of it, and it wasn't nearly enough, but that was the only real answer he had.

He could feel Scott's glare.

"He doesn't understand anything Stiles he's a freakin' murderer! When are you going to understand THAT!" Scott yelled and Stiles slammed on the breaks.

The jerk forward slammed Scott's head into the dashboard and Scott groaned, but Stiles didn't care.

"Get out!" he roared. Scott didn't seem to hear him, so it came out again, the grown tracing his words with dark ice. "GET OUT!"

And Scott did this time. He scrambled to open the door of the jeep, falling out into the dirt road as Stiles drove away.

He didn't once look back.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

When the news came that Derek was let out of jail due to the medical examiner determining the killer was animal and not human, the first thing Stiles did was go to see Derek. He was expecting to be turned away, expected to be chased out, beaten, to be reamed for breaking the trust of the one person who honestly wanted to help him. But he was shocked to find out that he wasn't.

"I am so sorry, I did-I mean—I wouldn't. I mean, I didn't know he would, I thought I could—I didn't think he could-" But he never got any of those sentences finished as the second he was within arms-reach, Derek grabbed his shoulders and wrapped his arms around him.

I am being hugged. I'm being hugged by Derek Hale. Derek Hale is hugging me.

"Ugh…Derek?" He was smaller than Derek, so his words were muffled by Derek's shoulder.

"You're the only pack I have left."

Stiles didn't really know what to do or say so he just sort of, wrapped his own arms loosely around Derek as the taller wolf squeezed him.

"I didn't think of you as pack, didn't think of you as anything really, but when they asked me if I wanted to make a phone call, my first instinct was to call you." What felt even stranger was that Derek's tone wasn't emotional. In fact, it was pretty empty, like he was reciting facts from a text book, but the hug was tight, almost too tight. It did a pretty good job of conveying the things Derek himself wasn't saying.

Besides all of that, it felt good. The contact, something Scott hasn't done since the whole werewolf thing, Stiles missed it.

"Yeah, you're the only pack I have too." Stiles murmured, even though he didn't really know if that was true or not, it didn't matter. The hug ended and Derek moved away like it had never happened.

"Green, blue, pink." Derek said as he stared over Stiles' shoulder.

Stiles turned and peered out into the woods. In seconds he knew what it was. "Humming bird six miles o-" he turned back around to face Derek, but Derek was gone.

Well. I'm beginning to think he enjoys being creepy.


	3. Episode Three: Pack Mentality

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Three: Pack Mentality

The second Stiles bolted up from his bed, head spinning, gut clenching, heart pounding, he knew something was wrong. His first instinct was to call Scott, tell the boy all about the weird nightmare he had about blood, a bus, and Derek, but he knew he couldn't.

Scott had betrayed him, made him betray Derek. Scott had given out information that wasn't his to give and got Derek arrested. He wasn't even ready to look Scott in the face much less tell him another secret he's friend could use against him. So he did the next best thing.

Pushing the covers off his sweaty form, he pulled open the window and reached for his phone.

It only took two rings before the gruff voice answered with the normal undertone of threat that Stiles heard on a somewhat daily bases. Apparently Derek Hale never slept.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Derek, do you…ugh do you ever sleep?"

There was a grunt from the other line, his only answer. Stiles decided to go with it. "You think you could come over?"

There was silence in the other end as Stiles took a seat on his computer chair. It lasted longer than Stiles was comfortable with, so he continued. "I mean, I know it's late, is it like what-" he pulled his phone away from his face to check the time and cursed. "Holy- wow, okay. I'm sorry man it's like six in the morning. You know what. Never mind, I can deal. Just…ugh, you know. Just go back to sleep."

He was about to just hang up again when Derek's voice came back, some of the threat gone from it.

"I'll be there in a few."

And then the dial tone.

Stiles didn't know whether to be happy or very very nervous. This could all be just an epic waste of time and effort on Derek's part. It's not like dreams even meant anything right?

So why did it all feel so real? The blood, the screaming, the body struggling against his for survival. It felt like he had killed someone. Like he had killed Derek. How much did he really want to tell Derek to his face that he'd dreamed of killing older wolf?

He really wanted to talk to Scott. No matter what the other boy did, it was a basic instinct to turn to his best friend when he was confused, or stressed, or nervous, or hell, even if he had something interesting it was all shared with Scott. Still, every time he picked up the phone to call his friend, Derek's voice echoed in his head.

"Can you? Can you trust him?"

I don't know, but I want to. I really, really want to.

He's thoughts were derailed when he heard Derek's approach. It was easier to pick up Derek's heartbeat than anyone except his Father's. He didn't know why but he just knew when Derek was around, when Derek was close. Like an instinct. Maybe all werewolves could sense each other like that.

"So what happened?"

No greeting, no 'good morning', no pleasantries. Cutting right through the bullshit. Right. Guess I better follow in his footsteps.

"Do werewolves dream?" Stiles flushed a little as he realized what had actually come out of his mouth. God that sounded so stupid, especially spoken out loud. When he chanced a look up at Derek, he was rewarded with a confirmation to his assumption that his question had been completely mental.

"Yeah, Stiles, werewolves dream. Why are you asking?" Obviously, Derek trusted him enough to still stick around to see if there had actually been any need to come all the way here. Stiles wasn't so sure anymore though, but he plowed on.

"I had this really vivid dream about…" Well, he didn't really know how to put it. Well you see man, I had this dream where I chased you into a bus, cut you up with my claws, dragged you back when you tried to escape, and basically gutted you right there on the floor. No. For some reason, Stiles didn't think that would go over too well at all. "About killing someone."

That got a more serious response than Stiles had been anticipating.

Derek bolted up from his seat on the edge of the bed and rushed to Stiles. His big hand was on the back of Stiles' neck in seconds and he was looking straight into electric blue eyes that glowed in the light from the moon. Wow, those really are a very beautiful color.

"Where? How real are we talking? Did you smell blood? Did you hear anything? Who did you kill?"

The questions came in rapid fire and Stiles was honestly thrown for a loop. Not to mention how distracting it was to have Derek's face seriously inches away. He was freaking out inside. It wasn't like he actually thought his little nightmare warranted this much distress from the man.

"Derek! Derek, man it was a nightmare!" He argued, breaking into the man's ranted questions.

"It wasn't just a nightmare Stiles. There was an attack tonight."

Stiles suddenly couldn't breathe. That had to be some kind of joke right? But then again, Derek's sense of humor wasn't that twisted. Okay, wasn't a joke, then what was it? An accusation? Did Derek think he had done it? What exactly was it? What did an 'attack' mean? Did someone die?

"Stiles."

He knew what he had dreamed, the memory was clear the blood still soaked his hands and his claws were still buried deep in Derek's gut as he growled like an animal. Was that what had happened?

"Stiles!"

He could feel Derek's hands on his cheeks, holding his face and lightly slapping there to get his attention. "Come on Stiles, you got to tell me what happened. What did you see? Stiles?" The blue eyes were gone and Derek's natural green were back. Okay, I think that one is actually prettier than the other one. He took a deep breath, his nose filling with the scent of Derek's worry, almost fear, and then there was just…Derek. All of his senses were filled with the larger wolf and it brought the calm back to his head, to his heart. Thing is, it actually brought some of the nightmare back clearer too.

This hadn't been the scent on the bus, it hadn't been Derek's blood. It had been Derek's face, but not his presence and Stiles could suddenly tell the difference very clearly.

"It happened in a bus. Back of the School, a man, older and scared shitless." Stiles said through the sudden haze of overflowing Derek.

The green turned blue and Derek backed off. Stiles could finally breathed fresh air and get his hand on straight.

"You don't think I did it…do you?"

Derek's answer came quick. "No." Like a reassurance that Stiles really hadn't been expecting. He'd expected some skepticism, not the instant denial of Stiles guilt. But then Derek went on. "You've been in your house all night."

And then Stiles' thoughts screeched to a halt all at once only one very loud very lard part of his brain kicked in. He was stalking me?

"You were stalking me?" Stiles knew he sounded accusing, and edgy even though he was the one that had called Derek over tonight, but that didn't matter. Derek was stalking him! The bastard didn't even look guilty, didn't even have the decency to blush and stutter like Stiles himself would be doing if he was caught watching someone sleep!

"No, genius. Your scent wasn't outside tonight and the traces of it that were had to be several hours old." That raised eyebrow and the look that stated just how stupid Derek believed him to be had Stiles choking on his earlier accusation.

"Oh." It was really the only thing he could think of to say considering the situation. Time to change the topic. "Then who do you think did it? Are there any other wolves in Beacon Hills?"

Derek's expression when from skeptical amusement to dim and grave in point two seconds and looking at it, Stiles knew exactly who the culprit really had to be. The Alpha.

He hadn't noticed he'd said I out loud until Derek nodded his head. Then again, maybe he didn't say it out loud and Derek was just answering his earlier question. He would never really know because in one instant, Derek was up and away from him, standing by the open window ready to go.

"Check out the bus tonight. It's too early today and you have school in an hour. Anything you remember, you tell me."

And just like that Derek was gone, his scent the only thing left behind to prove to Stiles that at least the last couple of minutes hadn't been a dream too.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Stiles did talk to Scott. Or actually, Scott talked to Stiles.

That morning he found his friend waiting for him in front of the school, no Allison nearby. That in itself had been a bit of a surprise, seeing how much time Scott spent with Allison now a days. Hell, Scott had basically been initiated into 'Lydia Martin's clique' do to his relationship with Allison who had actually become Lydia's best friend since that first day.

Still, for the first two minutes, Stiles had managed to ignore him as the human boy followed after him, running his mouth in apologies and promises Stiles honestly didn't believe. But then he had seen the bus. The bloody, scratched up bus where his nightmare had taken place. Apparently not a nightmare at all. So he broke down.

When Scott asked him why he'd turned even paler than usual and why he was breaking out in a cold sweat and 'Dude, your eyes are yellow!', Stiles told him everything. Well, everything except what had happened with Derek that morning and who the older wolf suspected actually committed the attack. Of course, he should've guessed Scott's answer, he was actually disappointed in himself that he didn't see it coming in the end.

When he had finished recounting his dream and when Scott looked over at the bus, the fear radiating off of Scott really wasn't a surprise. It shouldn't have been anyways, but it actually was. Stiles felt the sting of betrayal all over again. Scott actually believed he did it.

He was being stupid, he knew, he had believed he did it himself this morning too until Derek had shot the idea down firmly and soundly with a very convincing argument. And then Scott opened his mouth.

"Stiles, I think Derek did it."

Stiles recoiled like he'd been slapped right across the face and he felt his claws and fangs coming, and by the look on Scott's face, his eyes had shifted too. His best friend was quick to take it back, they had only just reconciled after all.

"I mean, you don't think you did it do you? Is there any other wolves in Beacon Hills we should know about? Is there like a pack of them or something?" Scott waved his hands around as they walked. It was a very 'Stiles' move of him and Stiles actually appreciated the level of enthusiasm and flail in which Scott copied his signature movements.

"Personally, I am taking this really well for a newly turned wolf. I just want you to appreciate that for a second. And yeah there is at least one other wolf in this town that me and Derek know of, we just don't know who he is."

Scott didn't say anything about Derek for the rest of first and second period. Even when the body of the man who had been attacked was found during their Chemistry class. The whole class was startled into frightened yells when the body bolted up screaming, although Stiles was the only one who breathed a sigh of relief. If Derek was wrong and it had been Stiles, at least he hadn't killed the man.

And then Scott started talking about Derek at lunch.

"What makes you think Derek has all the answers? So he's helping you control your wolf, maybe that's just to cover his own ass. Hunters are out there and now that they know he's back in town, maybe he needs a pack to protect him and he wants you in it. Ever think about that?"

Actually, he had but he hadn't thought of it in the tone that Scott so clearly did. In Stiles' mind, he was already a part of Derek's pack, whether or not they had an Alpha. He thought of it as a good thing really, as a place beyond his home where he really belonged. Someone who would have his back, even when he fucked up. So what if Derek was running from Hunters, Stiles would stand next to him just like he stood next to Stiles when Allison's father – still don't know if it was actually him, Argent could just be a very popular name – had shot him in the arm with a cross bow.

"Scott, I've thought of that okay? It wasn't Derek. I saw him this morning and there was no blood, not even a trace of a scent, and scents linger man. A werewolf can always tell where you've been just by how you smell, especially if we concentrate." Stiles said, smiling a bit when Scott scrunched his nose up in a look of mild disgust.

"That has got to be unpleasant." Scott remarked, setting his tray down and taking a seat on one of the cafeteria tables. Scott sat down across from him.

"Not always." Stiles admitted. "It helps me monitor my father's heart you know? What he's eaten, if he's stressed, whatever. It helps me take care of him a little better." And that was true, it was one of the parts of becoming a werewolf that he thanked every day. "Anyways, it wasn't Derek man. You have to let it go and help me out. If we all worked together on this I think we could figure it out."

"Figure what out?"

Lydia Martin's voice came at Stiles like a bucket of cold water and then her perfume hit him like a punch to the nose making his flinch and sneeze. Holy shit he had never been this close to her in his life and now he found himself wishing she would actually back up a bit more. He kept his mouth shut as she sat down next to Scott, but he couldn't hold it that way for long.

"Why is she sitting with us?" He mouthed as silently as he could to his best friend.

When he saw Allison take Scott's other side, suddenly it was clear. Scott really was part of Lydia's clique.

A girl took the seat next to his and a boy to his other side. He felt so out of place, he was much more used to sitting alone with Scott, able to talk and laugh without the eyes of judgment so close. He wasn't sure how much he liked this new set it.

It got even worse when he gave the girl beside him a smile and a nod and was snubbed off like she hadn't grabbed the seat next to his.

He turned to the boy and noticed Danny, strong and gay Danny. Stiles tried sending him a smile and when the response was the same, his feelings of being out of place were actually confirmed. When Jackson came striding close, Stiles honestly just wanted to get up and away from the table of artificial smells and even more artificial smiles.

"Get up." Jackson's voice was ice cold and Stiles wanted to snarl.

"You never ask Danny to get up." The guy at the head of the table complained, gathering his stuff anyways.

"Because I don't stare at his girlfriend's coin slot." Danny responded with humor and a smile. Okay, maybe not all the smiles in the table were artificial.

That's when Stiles noticed that he hadn't once looked at Lydia's boobs. Yeah, okay, kind of a perverted thought, but he used to drool over her for hours on end like some long lost puppy. He hadn't been doing it anymore for a while. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been jealous of Jackson having his arm around Lydia.

And then then they started discussing the attack and Stiles felt his stomach fall. If they knew the truth they wouldn't even be sitting here with him and Scott…actually. If they knew the truth, he'd probably be the only one avoided, Scott would be off with all of them living the life he'd always dreamed of during his dorky days. The sudden resentment for Scott's bettering asthma and his friend's determination to get better during the summer was shocking and Stiles tried to ignore it fiercely, going through his phone in hopes of finding any new information he could share with Derek later in the night.

He'd found, instead, who the victim was.

"Actually I just found out who it is. Check it out."

Garrison Myers, Scott's old bus drive from when he lived with his dad. What a random connection. Had that just been chance or something? Garrison had been the only man out last night, or had it been planned?

After that, things got a tad bit more interesting for Stiles.

Now, he'd never admit to enjoying the pain and torment of anyone, but Scott was kind of an exception. Watching his best friend struggle with the loss of his 'date' to the status of 'hang out' and the added bonus of Lydia and Jackson AND bowling. It was entertaining, he wouldn't lie.

"You're a terrible bowler!" Stiles called with a slight smile.

"I know!" He heard Scott groan. "I'm such an idiot."

"God." Stiles said, trying so hard not to laugh at his friend's misfortune. "It was like watching a car wreck except ten times more painful. I mean, first it turned into the whole 'group date' thing and then out of nowhere comes that phrase-"

"Hanging out!"

"You don't hang out with hot girls, okay? It's like death. Once it's hanging out and then you might as well be her gay best friend. You and Danny can start hanging out." God he wanted to laugh so bad, but it would be so unsupportive. No matter how Scott had treated his own problems, this was dating. Stiles could understand and sympathize on some level about how important it was at their age. He may be a werewolf, but he is a teenager first, so he keeps his amusement down. And then his thoughts started wondering.

"How is this happening? Why did she have to call it 'hanging out'?"

"I don't think Danny likes me very much." Stiles confided.

Scott was still on his own train tracks. "I asked Allison on a date and now we're hanging out."

"Am I not attractive to gay guys?" For some reason the thought really bothered Stiles. He knew he wasn't that attractive to most straight girls, but gay guys had to be different right? He had to be considered 'attractive' so something, even if he didn't swing that way, otherwise life would just be unfair.

Scott still wasn't listening though. "I made first line and the team captain wants to destroy me, and now…now I'm gonna be late for work." Scott's footsteps went faster, farther away from him and Stiles was disheartened.

"Wait! Scott! You didn't an- Am I attractive to gay guys!? You didn't answer by question…" frustration kicked in as once again he was ignored by his best friend because of Allison.

He felt bad for hating her to some level. Really wasn't her fault that Scott wasn't a loyal trust worthy friend, but still…he couldn't help the white hot surge of anger he wanted to direct and both her and Scott. He felt his claws come and decided to walk away from this. He needed to cool down.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Orange and blue."

His eyes raked across the landscape from the very edge of the park, almost hidden by woods as he sat on the fallen-leafs covered floor. "Detail?" He called out to the man standing against a tree just behind him.

"Misaka logo." Derek's voice called out.

That's when Stiles spotted it. "Volleyball, two miles out. Come on Derek, you aren't even trying anymore."

Stiles could practically feel the smirk at his back but he refused to be distracted. They'd been playing this game of theirs for almost three hours, each one calling out the colors of an item so the other one could find it. It was like a long distance, werewolf version of 'I Spy'. The only catch was gauging distance. Stiles had been completely terrible at that part at first, but now it as second nature. He had keen eyes, but depending on the distance, Derek trumped him easily. His better sense, believe it or not, was smell. Given just a couple hours he could track Derek down wherever the older wolf was.

When he found the man sitting on the bench of a park, he'd been a little surprised, he didn't think Derek was one for parks, until Derek explained that it was where he'd take his youngest sister to play.

After that conversation had been tense until Stiles started up their natural game, even going as far to move farther into the tree lines to create more distance between them and the many town life objects.

"Fine then hotshot. Green and red." Derek called again, skipping Stiles turn.

"Whoa, hey, wait for your turn." He argued, even as his eyes scanned over the scenery as fast as he could. It took him longer to find the objects then it had when they played from the Hale house front steps. At least there wasn't much distraction from the Hale house. Here, the park filled with kids and the sheer amount of possible objects were a distraction.

"Detail?"

"Plant."

That gave Stiles something to focus for. A plant. Fruit maybe? He scanned everything still green but found nothing red along with it. "Nothing grows at this time of year." Stiles protested, but that was a shitty excuse.

He was glad when Derek tossed him another bone. "It's in doors."

And that was all he needed, he found it seconds later. "Tomato, four miles out, blue house, dark gray roof. Woman's making salsa." It was more information than he needed for the game, but he figured he would toss in all of that to save some face. He'd needed a second clue after all.

Derek snorted from behind him before a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Yeah, alright. Come on, let's get out of here. It's starting to rain."

"Okay." Stiles used the hand Derek held out to help him up. "I got to get going anyways. I'm checking out the bus tonight."

Derek raised an eyebrow at him. "Want me to come along?"

Suddenly Stiles felt guilty.

"I kinda…I asked Scott to-" and just like that the friendly feeling he had with Derek was gone and just like a wall coming down, the apathy overtook Derek's features.

"Alright. Make sure you know what you're doing." Was all he said before he was gone.

Stiles was left a little empty as he made his way to his jeep. He wasn't sure why, but he hated the feeling of letting Derek down. Of disappointing Derek or anything negative like that. Maybe it was just because all Derek was trying to do was help him and Stiles kept on going back to a shitty ass friend who could never see past his own problems. Come on Stiles, Scott isn't that bad. He's a good friend, he's got a life too it's not all about you.

But sometimes it started to feel like nothing was about him.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

When he called Scott about picking him up, Scott was confused. Stiles had to explain again about the bus, and the driver, and the wolf, but once Scott got it, everything was fine. Until he got there.

"Hey dude, think we can drive Allison home?"

Innocent question really, he couldn't blame Scott for it, he wasn't even opposed to doing it, they had time after all. He regretted his decision the moment they got in the car. Scott didn't sit up front, and neither did Allison. No, both of them were in the back, talking softly and making out. Stiles felt more like a chauffeur than a friend and that was so very irritating.

He felt his claws coming in and out as he breathed. He could only focus on his own breath or the road because if he expanded his senses anymore he would be listening to Allison giggle and argue that they were in Stiles' car and it was rude, and Scott would be saying that it was all okay, Stiles was cool, and Stiles would be about ready to rip both of them to shreds because Allison was right. It was rude and mean and really insensitive.

Scott made first like, Scott got a hot girl, Scott got the popular friends and what was Stiles left with? A werewolf bite, dead bodies, weird dreams, a horny unhelpful best friend, and Derek.

Derek was the only good thing in the whole mess.

Soon enough, they were at Allison's house and Stiles finally confirmed that, yes. Chris Argent is her dad. Her dad shot him in the forearm with a cross bow. His hate for her was rising every day, until…

"Thank you Stiles. I'm sorry about this okay? I'll just drive my car next time. Go spend some time with him." She leaned over the open window and kissed his cheek, and just like that, his anger deflated. He couldn't hate her. She didn't know anything, she obviously didn't know about her father, and she wasn't responsible for the way Scott treated him.

That didn't mean he wasn't mad at Scott though.

The ride to the school was silent and there was tension in the car though mostly it was coming from Stiles. Scott for his part, kept silent because of the way this had gone for him the last time he'd run his mouth off in his friend's car. Being thrown out and having to walk back home wasn't something Scott wanted to repeat any time soon.

When they go to school, it changed.

He had been there. Derek had been wrong, he had been out that night. He had been there because he remembered it, remembered protecting the man and fighting off a beast with glowing red eyes. The Alpha.

They had nearly been caught but that wasn't a big deal. The second they were out of range Stiles had taken the wheel from Scott who gave it reluctantly.

He didn't say anything. Didn't share what he had found out with Scott, even if the human boy kept asking the whole way home. He didn't trust Scott enough, Scott would think Derek had done it. But Stiles knew what had happened, he finally remembered all of that night.

The hunt.

It was the pack initiation that Derek had talked about, the first kill that would change his eyes. The Alpha wanted him in the pack. He almost wanted to be sick.

But he hadn't done it. He hadn't killed, he had protected.

He needed to tell Derek, and so that was where he went the second he dropped Scott off.

"I was there. I was out that night."

His first words as he walked right through the Hale House front door were hardly considered a greeting, but it wasn't like Derek needed one. The older wolf was down the stairs and in front of him in less than a minute and for some reason, Stiles felt like reaching out and touching the other wolf. He needed to reassure himself that this was his pack. Not a psychotic murdering nut job who wants to maim and kill. This person, this other wolf in front of him was pack.

Derek's eyes were frantic and worried. "But your scent wasn't-"

"I think I used my car." Stiles explained. "I didn't use the window, I knew exactly what was going on and I needed to stop it. The Alpha Derek, he wanted to hunt, he pushed me into going for the first hunt. I was supposed to kill that guy."

Maybe Derek saw how shaken Stiles really was. Maybe it was just the thought of someone else claiming his pack mate, whatever the case, Stiles soon found himself once again in Derek's embrace. This one didn't feel nearly as weird and awkward as the first, so he didn't hesitate to wrap his own arms around Derek, rubbing his forehead on a leather clad shoulder. A part of him, the wolf part he realized, was finding a way of getting Derek's scent on him and his scent on Derek. He needed his pack, all one member of it. So he didn't fight it.

He got his hands under the leather jacket, but not the tight black t-shirt, and he rubbed his palms over Derek's back, keeping his face against the man's shoulder.

Derek must have felt the instinct too, because his cheek was rubbing at the side of Stiles' head. Stiles could feel the stubble in a not entirely unpleasant way. Derek's own hands had reached under his own jacket but not his t-shirt.

"He wants you in his pack." Derek's voice was a low growl, his wolf probably close to the surface. Stiles understood why. Pack was family, the loss of a pack member was like the loss of one's own limb, which is what Derek had told him during one of their training sessions. He remember how sad it made him when he thought about how Derek had lost his whole pack, his whole family all in one night. Now he knew what the threat of it felt like.

He didn't want to belong to a pack with a murderer as an Alpha, a pack with no sense of 'family'. That was one of the only things he really wanted now that he was a werewolf, a 'family' oriented pack.

They passed a good amount of time like that. Wrapped up in comfort and support. Neither one really willing to pull away until the other one does. Sure, this pack wasn't really perfect. Hell, they were basically just two Omegas clinging to each other in the hopes of making their situation make some sort of sense, but still. Derek had, in some ways, become a better friend than Scott as of lately. Not to say he could ever forget Scott. They had been through a lot, but it all felt so far away now. Now that Scott had Allison.

"I should-ah…probably go home." Stiles said into Derek's shoulder. He was forcing himself to pull away, slowly as it was. Derek too was retreating, a little faster than Stiles. "My dad's probably wondering where I man and all."

God why was it back to being awkward. So he hugged a dude, big deal, he hugged Scott all the time. Not like that…but maybe that was okay. I used to hug Scott like that.

"Yeah." Derek agreed, his voice not growling but gruff. "Next time you know what's going on, don't go into it alone. Call me. I'll answer. We are pack."

And that word held a lot of meaning in it. That word was both comfort and danger, that one word was the best and the worst thing to Stiles. It was being offered by two different people and while he wanted one, his instinct called for the other.

"Okay." Stiles shook his head. Giving Derek a grin. "Okay."

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

The next night, Stiles found himself once again, thanking the gods for creating the darkness. Climbing through Scott's window as so much easier as a wolf, upper body strength or not, his claws helped keep him stead as he pulled the window open just a little more and rolled his way inside. The lights were off and Stiles knew that Scott was on his 'date' with Allison, Lydia, and Jackson, so he would wait. He would sit there in the darkness of his best friend's room in sadness in wait.

What he wasn't expecting was the tall figure standing above him with a bat. He was screaming before he even realized he was, hiding his face so he didn't get hit in an obvious place least he heal standing right there in front of Scott's mom. The screams from Melisa were deafening though, a high pitch that send his head reeling and his eyes shifting. He held it back as best he could until she stopped.

"Stiles! What the hell are you doing here?!"

Stiles was on the edge of his emotions right now. So he snapped back. "What am I doing? God! Do either of you even play baseball?!"

Melisa opened her mouth as if to speak, but the lights turned on and Scott walked in.

"Can you please tell your friend to use the front door?" She rounded to Scott who shrugged his shoulders.

"But we lock front door. He wouldn't be able to get in." He said it like it was obvious, but Stiles actually would have been able to get in, just not quietly.

"Exactly." Melisa argued. "Do either of you even care that there is a police enforced curfew?"

Well, at first, yes. Allison wouldn't have been able to go out with Scott because of it if it weren't for Lydia pushing her to defy her father's orders. So at that moment, the answer was the same for both of them.

"No."

Melisa looked frustrated, but she gave up, like she always did when it came to Stiles and Scott.

"That's enough parenting for me for one night. Goodnight."

Both the boys echoed her sentiment before Scott pulled up his desk chair and asked why Stiles was there. So Stiles told him what he hadn't the night before. Told him what he'd told Derek.

The attack of the man who drove Scott's bus had in fact involved Stiles, but not in the way they had thought. Stiles had been there to protect, in fact, most of the blood in the bus was Stiles' not the victim. He told Scott about pack initiation and the first hunt and the first kill together. Of course, Scott's answer was predictable.

"It was Derek." Scott concluded and Stiles almost gave up right there, but he figured he'd give it one last try.

"Derek's eyes are blue. I've seen him wolf out Scott. These eyes, they were red. Blood red. They were Alpha's eyes, the person who bit me."

"So that's the other wolf you said was in Beacon Hills. Is it only the three of you?" Scott's brows were furrowed and he was giving the whole subject serious thought and Stiles was grateful for that at least.

"Yeah it's just the three of us from what I know. Omegas pass by every once in a while but no other werewolf stays or kills in pack lands that doesn't belong to them. This Alpha, he thinks Beacon Hills is his territory." Stiles explained before sighing deeply.

It didn't go unnoticed and Scott actually asked him what was wrong for once. Stiles felt close to Scott again. Scott was actually listening this time, actually hearing him out and being here, this was what he needed.

"My dad left for the hospital fifteen minutes ago, it's the bus driver. They said he 'succumbed to his wounds'."

Scott's face was sympathetic and shocked all at once.

"Succumbed?" Scott echoed. Stiles felt a little sick to his stomach as he played with his hands. His mind was moving at a mile a minute, he was over-thinking all of this. He felt weak.

"Scott..he's dead."

And suddenly his best friend got it.

"You're not a murderer." Scott said firmly, his eyes hard and trained on Stiles like they were meant to burn him. But Stiles just felt cold.

"Yeah man…I am."

Scott shook his head fiercely, "You're not! Derek is! He killed the guy, he killed his sister! He's going to kill you too Stiles you have to-"

"Derek didn't do it Scott!" He growled at his friends face, his teeth bared, his claws out and his face furry.

Scott was surprised at first. Scared and confused, but then he looked closer at Stiles as the werewolf inside of him calmed down, and suddenly Scott was smiling.

"You didn't kill anyone." He said breathlessly. Certainty and conviction in his voice.

"How do you know?!" Stiles growled back.

Scott pointed to his face, no wait, his eyes.

"They aren't blue man. You haven't killed anyone or anything, your eyes are still golden yellow."

It was disarming. The moment of devastating silence before his body sagged in relief like the breathe was knocked out of him. Scott was right, his eyes would change if he had killed. If he was part of the murderer Alpha's pack, his eyes would have changed. And just like that he flew towards his friend, his arms coming around Scott in a bone crushing hug before he pulled away and was gone, a quick whispered "Thank you." On his lips.

He made his way straight to Derek.

But when he found him to tell him, Derek already knew. In fact –

"I think I killed him." Derek's expression was odd and it took Stiles aback.

And now it was Scott's turn to echo in his mind.

"He killed the guy, he killed his sister! He's going to kill you too Stiles"


	4. Episode Four: Magic Bullet

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Four: Magic Bullet

Stop being stupid. Derek wouldn't…he just wouldn't. Come on Stiles, you're being an idiot. Open your mouth, ask for an explanation. Come on, do it. Just open your mouth and-

"No."

And that was it. That was all it took. Stiles' felt his resolve strengthen, his certainty was locked in place and no matter what Derek had done, he wouldn't kill. Not someone innocent and sure as hell not someone already injured. "You didn't kill him. It wasn't your fault and it wasn't mine. Now sit down, stop looking at me like that and tell me what the hell happened."

Derek didn't respond at first, just continued to stare at him with that determined gaze, and then did sat down. Right there on the last step of the big staircase leading up to the second floor of the burnt down Hale house. And Derek told him. About how he went to see them man to get answers, about his question, about the man's answer and his apology. 'Hale. Hale, I'm sorry.' It was all weird and unfocused and choppy but Stiles was getting the hint. Derek had thought the stress of seeing a Hale had pushed the man over the edge and right through death's door.

Stiles spent most of the night reassuring Derek that he wasn't a fault, the man would have died had Derek went to see him or not, Grayson just wasn't strong enough.

And then he went home. One second of doubt, one tiny little second and he felt like he had betrayed Derek all over again.

Derek had been so broken by the thought that he had killed the man just by seeing him. So repulsed and dejected by himself that Stiles was ashamed for letting Scott's words get the best of him. Never again. I won't doubt Derek, ever again. It was a promise to himself and his pack mate. They needed to trust each other because really, no one else trusted them.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Danger struck again a few nights later. Neither Derek nor Stiles had been expecting it.

Ever since the attack on the bus driver, Stiles had gotten a good whiff of the Alpha's scent. He had been helping Derek track the beast when it happened. Stiles had tracked the beast and stayed behind to flank the Alpha when the Argents descended like some self-proclaimed angel of vengeance. Shots rang out and Stiles almost swallowed his own tongue when he smelled Derek's blood.

Then he heard it. Her voice.

"Chris, there were two of them."

"The Alpha?"

"I don't know. But one of them tried to kill me."

Stiles didn't know if this was important, but he had to stay put. If he went to look for Derek now, he would be seen too and he would be in no shape to help Derek if the Argents saw him.

"Well one of them was going to lead us to the other. He can't do that if he's dead."

"Well I can't help kill either of them if one of them kills me first."

"How long will it take?"

"I give him forty eight hours. If that."

And just with that, Stiles felt his heart hit the pool of acid in his stomach. And then they were off, leaving Stiles behind to look for Derek, but Derek was gone, the scent of his blood was everywhere as well as something that almost seemed to…numb his nose. He knew exactly what it was. Wolf's bane. But how did it get here?

He went home that night with no idea where Derek was and no way of finding him because of the damned wolf's bane that seemed to be following him around.

So you can just guess his surprise when it was Derek who found him at School the next day, by walking right in front of his car.

"Derek!" he called as he got out of his car and ran to the taller wolf's side. Apparently Scott had seen them because he was right behind Stiles.

"What is he doing here?!" Scott almost yelled, and Stiles saw Derek's eyes shifting at Scott's voice. He was actually more surprised Derek kept his teeth in check.

"Shut up Scott." Stiles yelled back before he turned to Derek, "What happened?"

"I was shot." It was such a simple answer but it made Stiles swallow bile.

"This was what she meant." He realized. "When she said you had forty eight hours, this was what she meant."

"Who?" Derek asked, his eyes going back and forth almost frantically, it was scaring Scott and personally it was scaring Stiles too.

"The person who shot you, I saw her last night with Argent."

"Allison?!" Scott's voice was high now making both werewolves cringe as they turned to him. "It wasn't Allison was it?"

Stiles shook his head but he really wasn't sure. It hadn't smelled like Allison but it was the same gene pool. "Why aren't you healing?" He asked Derek, willing the man to do just that. Derek couldn't die, he needed Derek here, helping him, and both of them protecting each other, Derek couldn't die.

"It was a different kind of bullet?" Derek answered over the sound of the horns from the cars behind Stiles' blared almost insistently.

"A silver bullet?" Scott asked tentatively, only to have Derek's glare turn to him. Scott decided to be smart and stop talking.

"No you idiot." Derek growled as his face twisted in pain. He was so pale and Stiles was pretty sure he was just as pale, his skin felt clammy and out of place and he was almost sick with worry. "You have to find the bullet."

"But how!" Stiles roared in desperation. "I can't get into an Argent's-"

"Scott." Derek breathed, trying to force his way through the pain. "Scott has a date with Allison, she's an Argent she's with them." And suddenly all eyes were back on Scott.

"What?" Scott croaked, stepping back even further. "No. I can't- No dude, I can't just-"

"Scott please." Stiles didn't care that he was begging, didn't care that his voice broke and that his eyes were filling with tears, what mattered now was getting Scott to agree, getting Scott to help him save Derek. "I can't do it, they would kill me too, but you can. Please Scott."

Scott had never seen Stiles like this. Near tears and desperate, only once did Scott remember Stiles making that expression. The day he prayed to a god he didn't even believe in to not take his mother away. The day were Scott had held him, and allowed Stiles to use his chest as a Kleenex because there was no way to save his sweet and kind mother. So Scott gave in. "O-okay."

Stiles face showed such gratitude that Scott suddenly felt uncomfortable. "Let's get him in your car." Scott said before helping Stiles lift Derek who was breathing heavily and trying to hold onto sanity.

As they left, Stiles shot one more pleading look at Scott and hoped his best friend would do this for him. Even after everything, he hoped his best friend would do this one thing just for his sake and nothing else. Whether or not it was Derek that was injured, Stiles would feel the pain at the loss of his only pack mate, and he didn't want to feel that, not ever.

So he left, hoping to god Scott would keep to his word.

"Why do you smell like blood that isn't yours?" Stiles asked because he had nothing else to say, but also because he was curious. The blood smelled familiar, like someone he knew.

"Asked a kid- where you were. He didn't want to answer, insisted I sold drugs. Got too close and my wolf snapped." Derek struggled to answer but Stiles got a gist of it.

"Alright. Anyone I know?" Now he was just curious.

"Don't know. Pretty boy, smelled like the Argent girl, perfume, and Scott. Figured he would know." And Stiles realized it could only be Jackson. Unless it was Danny, but he doubted that. Danny was too nice to assume random strangers sold drugs. Although with how Derek was looking, he wouldn't put it past anyone to assume Derek took drugs.

"Hang on Derek." Stiles muttered, he felt so helpless really. So he texted Scott. Hoping from the bottom of his soul that Scott had found something. The only response he got was 'need more time.' God damn it, my only pack mate is going to die in my freakin car and all I can freakin do is sit here and drive. "We're almost there."

"Almost where?"

Wow he hadn't realized he'd spoken out loud, but it didn't matter. "Your house." He answered easily, and then he smelled Derek's concern.

"My house? No, you can't take me there."

Stiles was confused. "I can't take you to your own house?"

"Not while I can't protect myself." And now it made a little more sense, but now he had nowhere to take Derek. The sudden fear that filled him made his stop the car before he completely wolfed out.

"What happens if Scott doesn't find your little magic bullet?!" Stiles yelled, hating how his emotions were riding him. "Are you dying?" God please say no.

He almost breathed a sigh of relief when Derek shook his head. That is, until Derek spoke. "Not yet." Not yet? What the hell does 'not yet' even freaking mean?! "I have a last resort."

"What do you mean?! What last resort?!" He was getting more and more frustrated, more and more desperate, he couldn't let Derek die, even if he had to go and find the damn bullet himself. He couldn't let the only member of his pack die, he didn't want to be in a pack with the psychopathic Alpha. He needed Derek.

And that's when he realized that he really honestly did. He needed Derek. Not only to help him control his wolf, Derek had become more than a teacher over the past few months he'd known him. Ever since that bite that turned him, Derek became the only person Stiles could really turn to when he needed someone. He couldn't even turn to Scott anymore. But Derek's life is in Scott's hands. Oh god what had he done.

When Derek pulled his sleeve up, Stiles felt like he was going to be sick all over his precious car.

"Oh god Derek please tell me you aren't dying."

"I'm not dying."

But Derek didn't sound sure and both of them could hear it.

"Just turn on the car and find somewhere else to go." Derek ordered, and stiles felt himself bristle.

"Where the hell am I supposed to go?! I can't take you home Derek, my dad is home, I can't take you to a hospital! I can't take you to your house and god knows I'm not going to drag your little werewolf ass out of this car and leave you for dead, so please. Tell me where to go because I'm out of ideas." He was being snarky, he knew and it was unfair, the guy was hurt after all, but in a way, so was Stiles. He could feel his arm ache and burn where Derek got shot. Like another Pack connection or something.

"Stiles." Derek breathed. "Start the car, or I'm going to rip your throat out. With my teeth."

Stiles didn't believe him at all, that much was clear, but it didn't matter, they couldn't stay here on the side of the road. So Stiles conceded, throwing his head away from Derek is pure frustration. He was at a complete loss of what to do.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

'Derek's not looking so good.'

Stiles felt like he was about to die it had been hours since he had heard from Scott, hours since Derek had spoken. It almost looked as if Derek was asleep, if not for the smell of death and decay that was now seeping from the passenger's seat.

'Call me!'

Every text he sent had been ignored and they were now just hanging out on the side of the road again in the dead of night with no place to go. Stiles wanted to cry but he forced it all down. He couldn't do this, the pain in his own arm was getting worse and he was sure that so was Derek's. He regretted putting his trust on Scott, regretting giving his best friend the power to destroy his pack. He even went so far as to regret ever meeting Scott, but he felt bad the second he thought it.

This wasn't Scott's fault. He knew that, but his mind was impossible to subdue.

He almost jumped out of his skin when his phone started to ring, the caller ID letting him know that it was Scott.

"Did you find it?" They were the first words out of his mouth, he couldn't help it. The answer left him feeling worse though.

"Not yet."

Stiles wanted to scream but the only thing he did was clench his fist so hard he felt his claws dig into his palms almost piercing to the other side.

"I have nowhere to take him Scott." He sounded so weak and worn out and tired, and Scott picked up on it. "He's dying. He smells like death. I don't know what to do. Please man, you have to hurry."

"Okay." He heard Scott sigh on the other end of the line and he did the same until his friend spoke again. "Okay, take him to the animal clinic."

That actually helped bring some of Stiles back from despair as he shook his head in confusion. He knew Derek was awake now but it didn't matter.

"What about your boss?" Stiles asked, but suddenly he felt okay. Whether or not Deaton was there, he could get in either way. At least now they had an idea about where to go.

"He's probably gone by now. There's a spare key in a box behind the dumpster."

Stiles sighed so deep he felt a piece of his soul go with it.

"You won't believe where he wants me to take you." Stiles told Derek as he passed the phone over.

"Did you find it?" He heard Derek's voice waver and it made his gut tighten up to the point of pain.

"How am I supposed to find one bullet? They have a million! This house is like the freakin Wal-Mart of guns!" Stiles heard Scott's voice loud and clear even if he didn't have the phone. He noted how Scott's voice was harsher and more frustrated than it had been talking to Stiles. Scott seriously doesn't like Derek. Stiles laid his head on the steering wheel in exhaustion. He was almost to the point of just accepting that Derek was going to die. Almost.

"Look, if you don't find it, then I'm dead. Alright?" The way Derek said it, it made tears slip from Stiles' eyes. Unwarranted, unwanted, and so unappropriated, but he couldn't help it. It was true then, Derek's life really was in the hands of someone who hated him.

"I'm starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad thing." Scott's voice was so irritated and Stiles felt his heart breaking. Scott was going to do it again, betray him. He was going to let Derek die, Scott was going to take the only pack member he had and leave him all alone. How was this fair?

"Then think about this. The Alpha called Stiles out against his will. Next time, he'll either kill with him, or he will get killed. So if he wants to stay alive, he needs me. I don't think you want to see your best friend die or become a monster. Find the bullet."

Stiles listened as Derek ended the call. He couldn't bring himself to pick his head up off the steering wheel, he couldn't bring himself to look at Derek. Not that Derek gave him a choice.

"Stiles?" Derek's voice was careful, something it hadn't been when talking to Scott. When Stiles didn't answer, he laid a hand on the back of Stiles' neck, using the grip to turn his face towards Derek. "He's going to find the bullet. I am going to be okay."

"You say that, but we both know it's not for sure. Scott hates you, he doesn't trust you, and we are just sitting here waiting for your time to be up trusting Scott with your life. What if he lets you die Derek?" Stiles knew he sounded broken. This was like losing his mother all over again. Letting go of family, losing his heart or a limb. He felt it now and it was only Derek. God I never want to feel what Derek felt when he lost his whole pack. This shit is bad enough.

"We are trusting Scott because he cares about you." Saying that, Derek sounded so sure, but Stiles wasn't. Not since Allison. But Derek didn't give him time to argue. "No matter what goes on between you two, you guys are brothers. Brothers fight and make mistakes but he wouldn't want to see you dead or hurt. Come on pup, start the car." And there was that nickname again. 'pup'. Like he was a dog. Why did that stupid, idiotic nickname suddenly give him comfort? He was acting so weird since he realized Derek was dying but he didn't know why, didn't know what to do anymore.

So he did as he was told. He started the car and drove to the clinic.

They finally got a bit of good news when they got there, Scott had found the bullet. A rare kind of Wolf's bane had hit Derek's system when he was shot by one of the Argents. Derek needed the bullet, otherwise Derek wouldn't survive much longer.

When Stiles told Scott this, Scott said he'd be right over, but the hope that suddenly overtook Stiles' heart made the time tick so much slower.

He led Derek into the back of the clinic and helped the man take off his shirt. The veins in Derek's injured arm were black and Stiles actually felt like he would just throw up. Not to mention the smell that was coming off of Derek. In fact, he could hardly smell anything Derek anymore at all. It was all blood and wolf's bane and death, the last of which was the worst in Stiles' opinion.

"If the infection reaches my heart, it'll kill me."

And Stiles' heart shrank to about the size of a peanut in his chest. "P-positivity just isn't in your vocabulary is it?" Stiles asked a bit sarcastically. If he was going to lose control of his mouth, he figured sarcasm was the way to go, if not, it would be his lunch coming out, not words.

"If he doesn't get here with the bullet in time-" Derek pushed himself away from the exam table and went to search through Deaton's drawers, his hands stumbling and clumsy, Stiles had never seen Derek like this before and it was so unnerving. "Last resort."

Stiles had to take a deep breath before he asked. He had a feeling he really didn't want to know. "Which is?"

His feelings were proven oh so very correct when Derek pulled out a freaking bone saw!

He turned to face Stiles, his face stone cold sober. "You're going to cut off my arm."

Stiles honestly just didn't know what to say. Just the thought made his queasy, not adding in the fact that this was Derek! He picked up the saw that Derek had laid on the table and when it whirled to life in his hands he had to put it down. "oh my god." I can't do this. I so cannot do this. Derek isn't really going to make me do this, please god there has to be another way, not this. Please sweet holy Jesus lord not this.

Stiles watched as Derek tied the elastic band that cut off the blood flow to the shot arm with teeth and an unsteady right hand before he got frustrated and decided to do it for Derek, even though he was pretty sure he couldn't do this.

"What if you bleed to death?" He tried to argue, but his argument was shot down.

"It'll heal if it works."

"Look…" He started, pretty sure Derek wouldn't accept his protest or his reason but needing them to be heard. "I don't know if I can do this."

"Why not?" Derek growled at him, his eyes flashing blue and Stiles stomach sank to its knees.

"Well, because of the cutting through the flesh, the sawing through the bone, and especially the blood." Okay, there was more to it than that, but those sounded like the safe and clean cut –pardon the pun- reasons. There's also the fact that I don't want to hurt you, I don't want you to lose your limb, I don't want to be responsible for your pain.

"You faint at the sight of a little blood." Derek rolled his eyes like he was some kind of really stupid child afraid of his own reflection. It sort of pissed Stiles off.

"No." He argued. "But I might at the sight of a chopped off arm!"

Derek sighed and Stiles thought he had gotten some sense through, but obviously he hadn't.

"Okay, how about this, either you cut off my arm, or I die. I really didn't think you wanted me to die Stiles."

Whoa dude! Low blow. And it was. That wasn't even below the belt, it was even lower. That was like getting an arrow to the knee.

"You can't even say that! You really think I want you to-" his argument was cut off when Derek grabbed him by the shirt collar and dragged Stiles face close to his almost violently. Derek almost never handled Stiles this way, not since they became pack mates. Suddenly Stiles knew how scared Derek really was. The scent of death and poison had masked it, but now, this close it was clear. Derek was afraid to die. "Okay. Okay. Alright. Sold, totally, I'll do it." Stiles conceded, not at all happy with this. But he was afraid of Derek dying just as much as Derek seemed to be.

Derek started to choke and Stiles was startled when Derek leaned on the side of the table and threw up black liquid, there was such a strong smell of poison that Stiles almost gagged himself. "Holy god what the hell is that?" god he wanted to cry. He wanted to just break down in tears then and there.

"My body." Derek gasped, not rising from the side of the table. "Is trying to heal itself."

"Well, it's not doing a very good job of it."

"Now Stiles." Derek said, raising his eyes to meet Stiles as his arm extended out on to table. "You have to do it now." Stiles saw everything Derek wasn't saying in his eyes. He saw the fear there so clearly that it marked him, deep in his heart he knew he would never get that look out of his memories every again. Derek was terrified. Well so was Stiles.

"Look, honestly, I don't think I can."

"Just DO IT!" The yell was an order, a command that Stiles couldn't deny. He found the bone saw in his hands before he realized he'd reached for it. Oh god no, he didn't want to do this. Please no no no no. Not this.

"Oh my god." He was panicking, his heart was like fireworks in his chest, exploding and burning and not in a good way at all. He was going to throw up. When he held the saw up to Derek's arm, he really started to let the inner freak out show. Oh god he was going to do it, he was going to cut Derek arm-

"Stiles!"

The voice broke through the panic and Stiles felt his heart jump in barely contained hope. Scott? Oh please god let it be Scott.

"Scott?"

And then there he was. His best friend was right there at the door, brown eyes wide when he looked to Stiles' hands wrapped around the electric bone saw held against Derek's arm.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

The sigh of relief nearly left him boneless as he dropped the saw like it had burned him. "Oh you just prevented a life time of nightmares." Stiles could breath now, his heart was calming down and his pale face was gaining color again, but it wasn't over yet.

"Did you get it?" Derek's voice brought Stiles attention back to the larger, almost dead werewolf, and he finally felt himself relax. Derek was going to be okay. Derek was going to live.

Apparently, he'd thought too soon.

When Scott handed the bullet to Derek, Stiles saw the second Derek's eyes wavered and the lights went out. When Derek dropped to the floor, the bullet went flying.

Scott went after the bullet just as Stiles went after Derek.

"Derek?" Oh god not yet. Please please please not yet. "Derek! Come on." Stiles laid a hand on Derek's face, the cold sweaty skin making his eyes sting with tears. He'd never begged or cursed god so much in his life. That thought almost made him want to laugh but the situation was so not right for laughter. "Derek, come on man, wake up. Please Derek. Don't die. Scott what the hell are we going to do?!" He called his friend and saw that Scott was reaching under one of tables. "Scott he's not waking up! I think he's dying. Scott I think he's dead!"

"Just hold on!" His friend called back. Stiles could hear the groans as Scott struggled to reach the bullet, and Stiles decided to focus on Derek.

"I'm so sorry for this." He whispered as started to slap a little harder. When it didn't work, he balled up his fist. "Please don't kill me for this." He said and he punched Derek square in the jaw. He heard his bones crack and cringed as his hand began to heal itself in seconds. When he looked at Derek, he saw that the bigger wolf was awake.

"I got it!" Scott yelled as he brought the bullet back to Derek.

Stiles helped Derek to his feet and watched as Derek used his teeth to pull the bullet open. Emptying the powder inside on the exam table before pulling out a lighter and setting it on fire. It sparked to life for a minute before it calmed and Derek gathered the ashes.

Oh god he's not going to-

But he was. With a deep breath, Derek brought the burned out powder to his arm, using his finger to stuff in inside the bullet wound. His scream was guttural and went straight to Stiles' heart. Derek would never scream unless the pain was really too much, and he wasn't just screaming, he was growling.

Derek pushed past Stiles and dropped to the floor, withering there in pure agony as he screamed and growled. Stiles had to put an arm out to stop Scott from getting close as Derek struggled to heal. Right before their eyes the black veins receded and the bullet hole closed.

"That…was…AWESOME!" Stiles called. Getting a very concerned very surprised look from Scott. But he couldn't help it. He was so relieved, so happy that he felt almost boneless. It took a lot of strength just to keep from falling on the floor with Derek and just staying there. He was so tried it wasn't even funny, but it had been awesome. Nothing had never happened in his life like that, not before or after the bite. "Yes!"

What really surprised everyone was that Scott was showing more concern for Derek than Stiles was. He even asked if Derek was okay.

"Except for the agonizing pain?" Derek asked, his voice a little edgy. Now that Derek was okay, Stiles really couldn't help his mouth as it opened.

"I'm guessing the ability to use sarcasm is a good sign of health." He was being an ass, hell he was probably being very very insensitive, but he couldn't help it. Derek was alright. Derek would be okay, and that was all Stiles cared about. Until Scott spoke and ruined everything.

"Alright, there. We saved your life which means you're going to leave us alone." Stiles almost swallowed his tongue in his surprise. "You got that? And if you don't, I'm gonna go back to Allison's dad and I'm going to tell him everything-" Derek cut Scott of before Stiles could.

"You're going to trust them? What, you think they can help Stiles?"

"Why not?" Scott yelled. "They're all freakin' nicer than you are."

Stiles was about ready to explode and Scott. This wasn't his friends business, this wasn't Scott's secret to tell anyone. He had no right to threaten Derek, having just saved his life or not. Stiles had thought that Scott had done it for him, but he was wrong. He'd wanted something to hold over Derek's head so Derek would leave. So Derek would walk out of Stiles' life and leave him alone.

"Scott, shut up! It's not your place to-" but even he was interrupted by Derek's disbelieving calm.

"Yeah, I can show you exactly how nice they are."

That night, Stiles and Scott learned about Derek's uncle Peter Hale. The only survivor from inside the Hale House Fire. Derek went as far as to bring both Scott and Stiles in to meet the man who was more or less, a vegetable.

Eleven people trapped inside and Peter had been the only one to get out alive, but not whole. The Argents were the only ones who knew what they were. There had been humans in the house, not just werewolves, but the Argents burnt down everyone with no mercy. It's what they did, what Allison would someday do.

Scott kept shaking his head, denying it, refusing to believe even when the proof was right in front of him. In the burn marks that covered the whole right side of this mindless man's face.

But Stiles believed. Stiles had Derek's heart to listen to, had Derek's emotions to read, the pain and helplessness that he was sure Derek had felt that day when him and his sister were called to identify the remains of what was left of his family, his pack.

He couldn't help it, he wrapped his hand around Derek's wrist. Feeling warmth clench his gut and his chest when Derek didn't pull away from the slight touch.

When he nurse came in an ushered them out, Scott didn't go with them, but that was fine. Derek needed to drive Stiles back to his jeep anyways.

"So that's what happened." Stiles said, more to himself then to Derek who sat quietly in the driver's seat. "For years my dad went searching for a reason for that fire, for anyone who might have done it, and all this time it had just been out of hate. One family that hated another."

"Not a family. One species' that hated another. They didn't even consider us humans. There were children in that house Stiles. My little sister, my cousins. There were humans who weren't born wolves and newly turned wolves learning control. And they didn't consider anyone of us human." Derek sounded so bitter that Stiles couldn't have stopped himself if he wanted to. He reached for Derek's hand on the gear shift and touched the top of it tentative but needing the contact, needing to show his pack mate comfort for his losses.

They didn't speak as Derek turned his hand over, intertwining his fingers with Stiles'.

He had never pictured holding hands with Derek. Yet now he couldn't picture holding anyone else's. Derek's hand was strong, the grip sure but not crushing. The way their fingers twined together and held there, it was perfect. It felt like coming home, like a comfortable weight had settled into his chest and he was okay with it there.

He knew he would freak out about it later, hell, he was sure he was freaking out now, but one thing kept it from showing. Derek's pain filled face as he drove.

It was so close to the fear he had seen as he held the bone saw against Derek's arm. So close but not quite. After losing so much in his life, Derek still wanted to live, feared death even though it would bring him together with his pack once more. Stiles could swear he almost felt like his heart was breaking. He didn't want Derek to be alone, didn't want the wolf to ever feel alone. He wanted to be there for Derek, wanted to be Derek's strength, his crutch when need be. For the life of him, Stiles couldn't clearly explain why, but he wanted to be the plaster that put Derek's heart back together, and all of those thoughts, all of these wants, they all scared him shit less.

"I'm just gonna…" He mumbled as they stopped on front of the animal clinic where his jeep was still parked. His hand was still in Derek's and he was fighting with himself on whether to pull away or to just stay.

"Yeah." Derek said, his voice unreadable.

Stiles was the first to let go and slide his hand away, opening the door of the car as he went. "I'll see you tomorrow then?"

Derek nodded in answer.

When Stiles shut the car door and then watched as Derek peeled out of the parking lot, he felt the hollow feeling that always follow a 'moment' with Derek returning to its place in his chest. He knew what this was, it wasn't the first time he'd felt this. It was though, the first time he'd felt it for another man.

"I'm going insane." Stiles breathed as he brought his arms up and behind his head, stretching there for a moment and kicking the gravel on the ground. He didn't even know why he was lingering, Derek was gone, but he didn't want to get into his Jeep just yet. He didn't want to let that small moment in the car go just yet. "Oh yeah, I really am going out of my mind."

Frustrated with himself he growled as he pulled the driver's door open and climbed into his jeep. When had he stopped having feelings for Lydia? Better question would be, when had he started having those feelings for Derek? Not that he was opposed to being gay, he always appreciated any attractive body after all male or female, and he'd had quite a few dreams about orgies whether or not he even wanted to actually participate in one – the answer of which was no by the way if anyone was wonder – but he had never actually thought about another man like that. Until now of course.

Curiously he looked at his left hand. The hand that had been intertwined with Derek's right. It was still warm and if he focused he could still feel Derek's palm against his.

Was he actually crushing on Derek?

What did he even really know about Derek? The guy lost his family six years ago, lost his sister not a few months ago, and he'd been helping Stiles out since his sister was found dead.

He also knew that Derek was a protector. Countless times Derek had proven that he actually cared for Stiles, even when Stiles went off and told his secrets to Scott who then promptly sold Derek out. He knows Derek is lonely. He'd become so good at reading Derek's silences that it was unreal, they'd spent quite a bit of time in the woods sparing and playing that dumb game that Stiles had started as a way of strengthening his sense. Thing is, Derek played along. It wasn't only about the game, anything Stiles did, Derek played along. He could joke with Derek just like he could joke with Scott, but Derek's sense of humor was darker, and dryer than Scott's and Derek always managed to get him in peals of laughter so belly deep it left his stomach with a pleasant ache by the time it was too late and he had to run home before his dad's shift was over.

Besides all of that, Derek had been there for him when Scott had not. But did that warrant enough connection for this kind of emotional attachment?

Stiles took a moment to think about Lydia Martin. He had known her for years, since second grade, and he'd been infatuated with her, but how much did he really know about her?

She was smart. Way smarter than she acted but she never showed anyone, especially not Jackson. And she was so shallow, giving herself to a boy who was dense and stupid, not to mention a total dick. She wasn't the nicest person either, Stiles knew that from experience, so why? Why had he been so enamored with her?

She was pretty. Mysterious, there was always more to her that I wanted to get to know. But that that warrant enough connection for emotional attachment? He guessed not, not any more than his connection with Derek. As it stood, he probably knew more about Derek than he did about Lydia.

And suddenly, just like that, Stiles felt better.

He could have feelings for Derek, it wasn't like he was ever going to tell his pack mate anything. Just like he had done with Lydia, he could admire from afar, it was such a usual thing for him that he figured it wouldn't matter. It was okay to like Derek.

Yeah. It's completely okay to love Derek Hale.


	5. Episode Five: The Tell

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Five: The Tell

The dreams started that night. The night he admitted his own feelings for Derek to himself. What is it exactly that gives 'knowledge' power?

At first, it wasn't too bad. Derek's face etched with concern and fondness, the smile crinkling his eyes and actually showing his teeth, hands holding onto his own and soft lips against his. Stiles didn't have a problem with those dreams, in fact, he woke up from them feeling up beat and strongly optimistic.

Of course, those small and innocent dreams didn't last very long. He was a healthy teenage werewolf after all, innocent was hardly a word used to describe either a teenager or a werewolf.

A strong and sure hand gripped his hip, the pressure just enough to feel restraining but not painful as pin prickly stubble followed the trail of a wet and warm tongue up his abs slowly. Stiles struggled with the instinct to pull away. He was ticklish after all, but he didn't want to pull away, he wanted to be closer, wanted to plaster himself chest to chest with the hard mass of muscle that held him forcefully on his back.

Lips kissed their way up his chest, taking the time to lick and bite each hard little nipple once before making a steady rise to his neck. Teeth grazed his flesh, right where his neck and shoulder met and Stiles couldn't hold down the breathless groan that forced its way out of his mouth. The hand on his hip tightened for a moment only to loosen and tighten again, claws raking his skin as little shockwaves forced their way through his already leaking erection pressed firmly against the planes of a well-defined six pack. There was an answering stiffness held still right against his vulnerable entrance, the ring of muscle twitching in time with the throbbing of the head at every beat of Derek's rapid heart. It wasn't intrusive, Derek was waiting for something, waiting for him to be okay with it. Still, it was enough to drag a grunting growl from the chest pressed to his. He felt the vibrations in pleasant waves and he needed more of that sound, needed to make this man feel just as good as he was.

He pressed himself against the slick flesh of Derek's cock.

He wasn't dense, he read about and watched enough porn to know that this part of sex (gay and virginal) was supposed to be painful, but he didn't feel the pain as Derek breeched the ring of muscle, sinking slowly into Stiles' body. The arousal was overwriting his brain, his systems were focused on one thing and one thing alone – getting closer.

"D-Derek!" Stiles cried out, his eyes closed tightly as he tried to regain his composure. The only answer he received was a kiss to the side of his neck, such a gentle gesture that it made this whole act that much more intimate. The kiss didn't stop at one, Derek kept kissing his neck as each hot and wide inch dug almost forcefully into his body.

Stiles could feel the stretch as his body accepted Derek's into it. It was torture, how slow Derek was being, how careful. Stiles wanted to scream, 'go faster, harder, please Derek please let go, let the wolf go', but his mouth wouldn't form the words in his mind. The only thing he heard coming out of himself were whimpers, moans and Derek's name.

"Please!"

Wow, that was a new word; and apparently, it was the right one.

Derek's hips jerked forward, almost as if it was involuntary, and Stiles screamed. His vision went white as he felt the radiating pleasure. It started in that one spot inside himself and washed like a wave over the rest of him. Derek found it, that sweet spot inside him. And that's when the control was gone. His and Derek's.

Another sharp thrust and Stiles howled, the sound so animal that he startled himself, but Derek only echoed the call.

His arms were around Derek's shoulders and Derek held him right back, the weight of the bigger wolf settling on him almost uncomfortable but the pleasure pushed that thought away. He could take Derek's weight if the wolf just kept moving like that, just like that.

His own need pressed eagerly against their stomachs, the friction it gave was overwhelming whatever part of his mind had managed to resist the thought that Derek was claiming him. Derek was taking him, claiming a mate.

"Derek!" Geez, it was the only thing he could say when there was so much in his mind, but it didn't matter. Derek heard it, the plea in his voice.

There wasn't even any warning before a sharp sting on his shoulder alerted Stiles that Derek had bitten him. The mating bite, the claiming bite, a wolf's ultimate sign of submission. He couldn't have held it in if he'd tried.

"Derek!"

Sweat covered his skin and his sheets but Stiles didn't care. He was tried to breathe through his hazy mind. His excitement, confusion, and strange disappointment engulfed his senses and he was almost reeling with it. The scent of his seed soaking his boxers didn't go unnoticed and neither did the scent of blood. His blood.

Glancing at his arms, his torso and then his legs he didn't find any wound, but when he moved his left shoulder, he felt it.

He stood from bed, ignoring the sudden shiver of revulsion as the evidence of his dreams started a straight path down his thigh. He made his way quietly to the bathroom across the hall, grabbing his towel as he went.

The mirror showed him what he couldn't see on his own. There were marks on his shoulder, the meaty part. Almost where his neck and shoulder met, that smooth chunk of muscle was now red and raw, and had five deep punctures Stiles knew had to be from claws. His own claws. And just to be sure, he looked at his right hand. His nails were bloody, the red liquid getting darker by the second as it dried under his nails.

"Oh my god, that did not just happen." He breathed before he released an amused snort at himself. The laugh came next, a genuine quiet one that sounded rather sad.

Stiles met his own eyes, the glow of the yellow wolf eyes making him want to look away, but he didn't.

"You are so screwed…" He whispered to his reflection before stepping back and turning the shower on. It was going to be a very long day.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

He was right.

Of course he was right. Who was he kidding? Stiles hadn't had a calm and relaxing day once since he was turned, why did he expect that to change anytime soon?

It started off as a normal patrol with his dad. He hadn't honestly spent time with the man in so long that when the Sheriff had asked his son if he wanted to join tonight, Stiles didn't hesitate. Fast food was only a slight bonus.

"Did they forget my curly fries?" the Sheriff asked through a mouthful of burger. Stiles wanted to roll his eyes but he refrained, just barely. He had to text Derek soon, let the other wolf know where he was. That was how they had been communicating recently. Ever since his revelation, it was just slightly awkward for him to be around the object of his affection, whether or not Derek know his feelings.

"You're not supposed to eat fries. Especially the curly ones." Stiles argued back. He was looking for the fries though, curly fries were his favorite too.

"Well, I'm carrying a lethal weapon. If I want the curly fries. I will have the curly fries." Sheriff John shot back confidently, but Stiles heard it. The stutter of his heart. It wasn't really a big deal, but to Stiles it was everything. It was his job now after all, to keep his dad healthy.

"If you think that getting rid of the contractions in all your sentences makes your argument any more legitimist. You. Are. Wrong." Okay so he was just slightly 'bitchy'. It wasn't his fault he wasn't getting enough sleep lately. (And the full moon, less than a week away, really scratched at his control) but he had been fine with keeping himself human so far.

And that's when the murder was reported.

A video store. The Alpha had gone after the clerk and Jackson. Lydia had been in the car waiting for her boyfriend when she'd spotted the glowing red eyes. That was Stiles' guess though, not that he would tell the police any of it. Still, the Alpha had killed the clerk but not Jackson.

"We're predators Stiles. We don't have to be killers. There had to be a goal here. Not even animals hunt for sport." Derek's voice brought him back from his own mind.

Stiles rolled his eyes as they pushed the door to the Hale house open. "Yeah I know, they hunt for necessity." He repeated like he had heard it a million times. He hadn't, but it was a basic concept. "By the way, we should do something about this house man. Rebuild it, renovate it, something. I'm starting to feel the doom and gloom forcing its way into my life too."

Derek snorted before he turned to face Stiles. "Not everything's a joke Stiles. The Alpha's not going to stop. In less than a week, either you kill with him or he kills you."

Stiles furrowed his brows and stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. He'd taken to doing this when the need to reach out and touch Derek arouse. His insides turned before settling. He was good at ignoring his feelings and besides, this was serious. They had to figure something out.

"Who made up these rules anyways?" Stiles asked, more curious than anything. It couldn't be wolf instinct alone could it?

"It's a rite of passage into a pack." Derek answered. "You know that."

Stiles nodded. "Like in human society." The raised eyebrow he got in reply made him smile. "You know, like graduating from high school. Getting your license and things like that."

Derek nodded. "Yeah, like those things. Except you don't have to kill anyone to do them."

Stiles shuffled his feet, having run out of things to say.

Strong arms wrapped around his waist and dragged him forward. A hot mouth pressed against his neck, sniffing and licking until it decided on a spot. Sharp teeth grazed the area before they clamped down, the skin offering little resistance as Stiles struggled to contain his moan.

"So-" his voice was higher than he was proud to admit, but he plowed on before Derek could comment. "Why can't we sniff him out when he's a human? We only go after him when he's a wolf, does his scent really change like that?"

Derek looked mildly impressed before he nodded and smirked. "Alphas especially have radically different scents sometimes. The human and animal part are two different halves of the same person, but it really just depends on the person. You for example, doesn't smell much different as a wolf and a human."

Stiles snorted. "You don't either you know. The wet dog smell follows you everywhere."

When Derek glared and rolled his eyes, Stiles couldn't help laughing.

"Can we get back on topic please? You're a wolf now, your ADD should be gone." Derek didn't sound as mad as he ought to be, and that realization made Stiles grin to himself.

"Yeah yeah, go on then. How do you purpose we find him?"

"You."

Stiles frowned before turning around and taking a seat on the bottom step of the decrepit staircase in the Hale house. "What do you mean by 'me'?"

"You have a connection to him. A link you can't understand. We have to work on controlling your powers. Once you have control, you can find him." Derek answered, taking a seat as well one step up from Stiles'.

"But I have pretty good control. You said so yourself, no one has ever taken to the bite as fast before." Stiles remembered the day vividly, he had been particularly proud when Derek had praised him like that.

"True, but we had been working on the physical so you could be able to retain your humanity during the shift on the full moon and keep from harming people when he called for you. Now, we are going to be expanding your sense. Internal more so than external. We need the pack bond to search him out, otherwise we won't ever find him."

Stiles bobbed his head in understanding before he stood. "Come on then. Dad's on this new Video Store murder case so I'm safe for the night. Not like I'm going to get any sleep anyways, so why don't we start now?"

Derek smirked a bit before holding his hand out. Stiles grabbed it and pulled the older wolf up. Not that Derek needed help, Stiles knew, but it was a gesture; Camaraderie. Stiles would take it. Even if he wanted so much more.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Training hadn't been as fun this time around as the physical portion had been earlier. Still, Stiles had spent the time with Derek, the older wolf walking them through certain aspects of a pack bond as Stiles tried to locate the pull to his will, his heart almost.

It was frustrating how dull that pull really was and sooner rather than later, the training was done. Stiles holding his head as he felt the edges of a migraine setting in.

"He's trying to stay hidden. It won't be easy for us to sense him, but you will find him ever when he doesn't want to be found. There are a lot of bonds inside of wolf, the bond to a human form and an animal form being the strongest. Then there is our bonds to the moon, to pack members and families. We run on instinct and feelings, and that's what we are going to use to find the Alpha." Derek had explained after Stiles complained again how much easier the physical training had been compared to this. Hell, even their friendly game of 'I Spy' was fun, this was just torture. Keeping his wolf right there on the edge of his control so that he would connect to ever bond he had, it was surprising he hadn't shifted and ran out the door. But he was too good for that. Better than most in the control department.

"Even born wolves have more trouble than you seem to have now, and you are only a couple of months old. You're doing really good pup." Derek's praise and the smile he'd received made his stomach turn like cake batter. It felt so nice to be good at something. It almost felt at times like he was made to be a wolf, he was born to take the bite. Even if he hadn't asked for it.

So it was no surprise that Stiles was in a very unusual mood when he got to school the next day.

Scott had refused to talk about werewolves, or hunters, or Derek, and Stiles had agreed. Now though, he knew his best friend had left school with Allison. Stiles heard them talk, heard the car turn on and drive away and he left them to it. After all, hunter or not, it was Allison's birthday and Stiles could allow his friend some room.

Only, Scott had about the worst timing in the world.

"Has anyone seen Scott McCall?"

Of course that question would be directed at Stiles. They were best friends after all, it's no surprise really. So Stiles shook his head, the cap of the highlighter he'd been using still in his mouth

And then Jackson Whittemore walked in. Stiles could smell something off about the other boy, but he couldn't identify why. Jackson smelt of fear and confusion and anger, his heart rate was really rather high and he was pale, eyes sunken and hands shaking. Stiles already knew what the boy had seen in the Video Store but now he could ask all the questions that'd been rowing circles around in his head.

And then Harrison opened his freaking mouth.

"Stillinski, you might want to try putting the highlighter down between paragraphs. This is chemistry, not a coloring book." And Stiles could feel the wolf bristle.

He spit the cap out of his mouth toward the ceiling, catching it in his hand when it fell back down. Then he noticed who was in the seat in front of him.

Danny. Jackson's best friend.

He leaned forward, speaking softly so Harrison wouldn't feel the need to interrupt. "Hey Danny, can I ask you a question?"

"No."

The blunt answer was a little shocking as well as just a little bit hurtful, but he carried on anyways. It was important after all.

"Well I'm going to anyways. Um, did Lydia show up in your homeroom today?"

He heard the sigh, and listened close to Danny's heartbeat. There was no stutter when he answered. "No."

"Can I ask you another question?" Okay, so he was sort of pushing it, but still, this was all just as important.

"Answer's still no."

This time, Stiles ignored it. "Does anyone know what happened to her and Jackson last night?"

"He wouldn't…tell me."

Stiles heard it loud and clear, the hurt in Danny's voice.

"But he's your best friend."

And that's when Danny's scent changed. Oh shit. Oh my god, Danny's crushing on Jackson! It was such a revelation that Stiles didn't really know what to do with it, so he decided to put it out of him mind. The only way he knew what to do that was to think about Derek. And with that though:

"One more question."

The irritation colored Danny's tone. "What?!"

"Do you find me attractive?"

Now Danny's scent was screaming confusion, but also something else, something Stiles didn't recognize. He leaned forward more, trying to get a clear whiff of the scent so he could distinguish it. Stiles didn't noticed when he'd leaned too far until he was falling out of his seat, flailing to get himself righted and back on his bench.

Okay, bad idea. He got back in his seat and played it off, tossing everyone who stared at him a sharp glare. He was spending too much time with Derek because the glares worked and everyone looked away.

It was two classes later that Stiles noticed the familiar scent of Derek gracing the hallways. Not that Stiles was going to go looking for Derek. That would be stupid and stalker-ish. Chances were, if Derek was here, the wolf was here for him anyways, right? Yeah right. So Stiles went to his next class without following the path the strong and heady smell made.

Instead he texted Scott. And he texted Scott. And he texted Scott in ALL CAPS! So, he called Scott.

"What?" Scott's voice was low and angry and Stiles knew why, he could hear Allison's breathing, the hum of the engine, and the crunch of gravel. But he ignored all of it.

"Finally, did you get my texts?"

"Yeah, like, all nine million of them."

"Do you have any idea what's going on? Lydia is totally MIA, Jackson looks like he's got a time bomb inserted into his face! Another random guy is dead and you have to help me do something about it!"

"Like what?"

"Something!" Stiles could practically feel Scott's disdain for the situation. "Look, I know we agreed to just not talk about it, but I can't keep doing nothing while people keep dying and me and Derek can't do it alone…Scotty we're going to need some help."

"O-okay. I'll deal with it later…"

And then Scott hung up. Just like that. 'I'll deal with it later.'

Stiles couldn't hold back the stab of anger at his friend. People were dying left and right and still all Scott cared about was Allison freaking Argent.

"Stiles."

Derek's voice washed over him like a water fall, crashing down on his senses and helping him regain the wolf. "Stiles, you're growling. Calm down." He was trying, honestly he was trying.

And then Derek's warm and strong hand was on the back of his neck and the scent of the other wolf was filling his nose. Derek's shoulder against his forehead, having been pulled there so that his face is hidden from the rest of the crowded hallway.

Slowly, he was able to calm down. The anger still aching in his chest for a best friend who could care less about him. Ever since this whole werewolf thing. Ever since Allison Argent, their relationship has been strained. Different. Distant.

"I'm losing my best friend." He whispered into Derek's leather jacket.

"Hey pup, if he doesn't want to be here, we don't need him. You don't need him. You got me, remember? We're pack. I won't leave you alone." Derek whispered back, his head bowed a little so his nose was right against Stiles' temple.

Stiles didn't feel the anger anymore. The warmth was something else entirely and he would take this over that any day.

"Really?" God his voice sounded so weak, but Derek didn't bring that up.

"Really Stiles. You're the only pack I have left, so I have nowhere else to go."

With a grin he pulled back from Derek, the hand on his neck falling away. He let his eyes flash gold and he saw Derek's answering blue. A long deep breath calmed the rest of him before he opened his eyes and decided to share what information he had with Derek.

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It was actually the bigger wolf's suggestion that he go visit Lydia. Whatever she saw, it must have truly frightened her is she skipped out on school. Anything she could tell us would help, so Stiles agreed.

And it worked. Not that Lydia could talk at all, doped up on all the drugs she took for her nerves, but her phone was a different story. A video of the Alpha. Lydia had managed to take a video of the Alpha's escape without even realizing what she had done. If the police had found it…Stiles didn't even want to think about the possibility. So he called Derek.

Who, didn't pick up.

So he called again, and again, and again, and now even Derek was ignoring him.

"Hey…it's me again. Look, I found something and I don't know what to do. Okay? So if you could turn your phone on right now, that's be great. Or else, I'll kill you. Do you understand me? I'm gonna kill you. And I'm too upset right now to come up with a witty discretion of how I'm going to kill you, so I'm just gonna do it, okay? I gonna…ugh! Goodbye."

He tossed his phone on the bed, it bounced there twice before falling on the ground and Stiles growled for a minute, stewing in his own anger. Derek said he would leave Stiles alone. He promised it, but now Stiles can't reach him and he's so worried something happened, but so upset that Derek had lied. No, not lied. His heartbeat had been steady, he'd meant what he said, so what could keep him from answer Stiles' phone calls?

The second he sst down, the knock on his door startled him back up.

It was his dad. He breathed out in relief before he actually heard what the man had said.

"Please tell me I'm going to hear good news at this parent teacher thing tonight."

Stiles can't really lie to save his life, so he opts for distraction. "Depends on how you define good news."

The sheriff raises an eye brow. "I define it as you getting straight A's with no behavioral issues."

"You might want to rethink that definition." Stiles admits, a guilty look crossing his face. That was all the answer the Sheriff needed.

"Enough said." He head his dad say as the man walked away. He listened for the boots descending the stairs and then for the slamming of the front door before he grabbed Lydia's phone and watched the video of the Alpha again.

"Come on Derek…where are you?"

It was supposed to be rhetorical, but when he heard his window being pulled open, it became literal.

"Derek!"

The older wolf climbed in, his face pale, his body covered in sweat and most important of all, completely shirtless.

Stiles felt the arousal increase in his brain and his heart and his pants.

Oh my god he's like MADE of pure muscles. Oh let me touch… He surged forward when it looked like Derek would fall over, grabbing Derek's beefy arms to steady him. Hard, really, incredibly, hard muscles. If he wanted to he could pin me to a wall and sex me up raw and I still wouldn't be able to fight him off. It was true, Stiles was faster than Derek, but not stronger.

He was so turned on, it was so hard to keep his scent from showing it. So much so that he couldn't manage it.

Stiles noticed the very moment Derek got a whiff of it. The look of shock and the flash of blue eyes made him wince in pure embarrassment. Distraction! Got to distract him.

"What happened?!" Stiles asked, ignoring his bodily reactions to Derek's body as he helped the taller body onto his bed. Derek accepted both the help, and the way out of the awkward situation.

"Hunters. Can't go back to my house." Derek breathed slowly, drawing breath in through his mouth. Smart move.

"You can stay here tonight. Dad's at Parent Teacher conference and I'm doing some research. No one will bother us tonight." Geez that sounded like an invitation for sexy time! Not that Stiles would be opposed to sexy time with Derek…god he'd actually beg for it if – OH-KAY, not going there.

"I'm just gonna go back to the, yeah." He sat down at his desk chair and turned it back around so he was facing the computer, not that he was actually paying any attention, his sense were all focused on Derek, shirtless on his bed. HIS BED! SHIRTLESS! Temptation you are one cruel mistress.

There was shuffling from the bed and the sound of Derek standing up, and then the scent, oh god that scent. It mirrored his own, his arousal, his attraction. And Stiles had to leave the room.

"I'm gonna go see what my dad has on file!" Stiles almost screamed as he bolted up and left the room before Derek could ever say or do anything. He'd been planning on getting the files anyway. Looking for connection between the only werewolves he knew and the people who were killed. The safest place to start would be the Hale Fire, his dad had all the files down in his office and Stiles knew where he left the spare key.

He hadn't expected Derek to follow him though, but he felt it. The presence of Derek behind him, the other wolf's footsteps soft but sure.

"Stiles." Derek called, halting his awkward shuffling steps.

"Yeah?" Stiles called back. He didn't turn around, he didn't want to see Derek's face, or Derek's body. Okay, total lie, I want to see Derek's body.

"Is it just…lust?"

Now that was a very left field question. One Stiles wasn't sure how to answer to be honest. Did he lust for Derek? Hell yes. Was it Just lust? Hell no. But if he said that, what would Derek think? He had reacted to Stiles arousal, but the smell itself was enough to affect any wolf equally, it was a husky scent that Stiles smelled often around school so he knew what the affects were. So was Derek's own arousal honest or a reaction?

"Not sure what you're talkin' about Der, but I really gotta get those files while my dad's not home, so just…yeah." He only took one step forward before Derek's heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

"You're lying."

It was a statement of fact, nothing more, but it sounded so much like an accusation. Stiles knew his heart was about to explode. The pounding even echoed in his own head, blood rushing to his face and thumping in his ears. Oh god he thought he could hide it, who the hell was he kidding? The dude was a freakin werewolf. Hell, Lydia was human and she'd known, then again he wasn't the best at hiding…or lying or anything like keeping secrets.

"Stiles."

"Derek just…please just let it go." He's voice was desperate, no matter how obvious he was being, he wasn't ready for this, he couldn't handle this right now, if ever. Derek knew, Stiles knew he knew. It was so plainly presented there in his scent, in his actions, in his desperation to avoid the topic.

When Derek's hand slipped away, Stiles felt his heart sink.

He'd asked Derek to let it go, he knew it was his fault, but Derek just gave up, just like that. Obviously Derek didn't feel the same.

"I'll…I'm gonna go get the files. You can look through them with me." Without turning back, Stiles walked to his dad's office. Derek didn't follow him this time.

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(Okay people, this is a little gift to all of my loyal readers for taking so long to update. My best friend started reading this and she talked about how much she wanted to read Derek's point of view, so I'm giving you guys this little sneak peek into what Derek things of the situation. I hope you like it.)

Derek swallowed down the lump in his throat as Stiles walked away. The scent of the boy's arousal lingered, but it was overwhelmed by fear and mortification now. God he was so stupid! He had the chance, right there, probably his one and ONLY freaking chance to own up to his own emotions and he just let it slip away like water.

"'Is it just lust?'" Derek mocked his own words as he turned around to head back into the younger boy's room. "What kind of stupid question was that? I should know him better than that by now!" Derek chastised himself, his steps falling heavier than usual.

Stiles wasn't like anyone Derek had ever met before. The boy had a quirky awkwardness to him that Derek found endearing, even if at first it had only been annoying. Everything at first had been about getting the boy's help to find out who killed his sister.

But now? Now it was about so much more.

When had it happened? When had his feelings changed the way they had? The clearest memory he had was about the first game they had ever played of 'I Spy'. He had been pushing Stiles, telling him that if he couldn't control the physical changes, he would kill the teen without hesitation. At the time, he'd meant it whole heartedly. That's when Stiles' eyes shifted and he huffed out a set of colors.

Derek had been so confused at first. Was this some weird version of human meditation?

"Over your shoulder man. It's blue."

Curious and slightly put out, he'd turned around and strained his own sight. It wasn't hard to find, what Stiles meant, it was the only blue item in that direction after all, but it was quite a ways away. "Your jeep, about five and a half miles out. What's your point?" When he turned back to the boy, the grin on his face was startling.

It lit up the boys eyes and lightened is features so much. Derek remembered his exact thought at that moment. Holy shit, the boy is attractive. And that was when the thoughts started. The game became a normal pass time and Stiles started to grow on him.

And now here he was, laying on the boy's bed without a shirt and inhaling the smell of the boy that surrounded the room.

Stiles' voice had been so…strained. A desperation there Derek didn't understand. He'd never thought Stiles would feel anything for him, the boy had feeling for that red headed girl, the one with so much perfume she smelled almost toxic. Derek could always tell when the girl had been around Stiles because the scents would cling to the younger wolf.

But why? Why would Stiles get aroused by Derek and just blow it off. And his question, why did it get such a reaction. 'Is it just lust?' He wanted to know, he wanted to be sure, wanted the words. But Stiles had begged him to drop it. Begged him to let Stiles walk away without having to explain it.

He likes me. At least, Derek thinks he does. There is no other explanation for the reaction. For the fear. Stiles was scared of Derek's reaction to his arousal. Or he just wasn't ready to admit to the attraction.

Or maybe he just doesn't want anything to change. Well, okay then. Derek could deal with that. He didn't honestly want anything to change either. His relationship with Stiles was perfect as it was right now. The connection to a person he could trust, who wasn't family, was overwhelming. He thought he'd never trust again after Kate.

Kate…she was back.

And now Derek had to wonder if he should tell Stiles. Everything. If it would help the boy with his 'investigation'. That's another thing about Stiles that he absolutely adored. The boy was smart. Far more so than anyone gave him credit for half the time. Stiles had figured out that there must be a connection between the murders or Jackson would have been killed too. And Stiles was well on his way to figuring out what that connection was.

Derek liked Stiles. But if Stiles wanted them to remain the same, just the way they were, then Derek could do it. After all, he'd been planning on doing just that from the very beginning.

"Okay, I found the files on the Hale Fire. Supposedly it was an electrical malfunction, but it also said Possible Arson. Someone set that fire on purpose."

Stiles' voice broke through his thoughts, the words sinking in next turning his bones to ice.

"Someone planned it alright." Derek growled. "The Argents."

Derek saw Stiles nod his head from the corner of his eyes. He pushed himself up until he was sitting, eyes the boy who looked much calmer now.

"Do you really want to ignore it?" The words were out before he could stop them and he literally winced at his level of tact. Why don't you just chase the poor boy out of his own house already Derek!

When Stiles' body stiffed almost to the point of pain, Derek sighed, read to open his mouth and let the younger wolf off the hook when Stiles finally spoke up.

"Yes. For now. Yes."

And just like that, the tension was gone and Stiles smiled at him. Those eyes warm but guarded. Derek felt a sense of loss at that. Stiles hadn't ever been guarded with him. Not since they had gotten closer. "We need to focus on this. When we find the Alpha, when everything is over. We can talk."

Derek nodded, taking the answer with a small smile of his own. He would be okay with that. As long as this wasn't over yet. Whatever this is.

When Stiles' phone rang out, they both jumped, Stiles diving for it on the floor next to the bed.

Derek peered over the edge and watched as Stiles picked it up.

"Stiles speaking."

The voice of Scott was heard on the other side and Derek had to keep himself from growling. The boy wasn't any good for anyone, much less Stiles.

"Dude, Allison's dad just shot a mountain lion and your dad got bumped by a car. We're at the school I think you should get here, like now."

Stiles glanced at Derek, eyes wide and scared and Derek could feel the protective instinct rise up within him. The need to keep Stiles safe, to keep anyone who is important to Stiles safe.

"Lets go."


	6. Episode Six: Heart Monitor

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Six: Heart Monitor

They'd arrived too late that night. By the time they made it to the school's parking lot, most of the people were gone, one of them being his dad. Scott was still there, as were the Argents, so Derek kept his distance and Stiles came closer. He'd asked Scott what had happened, where his dad was, why hadn't he been answering Stiles' calls, but the only real answer Stiles got was 'I don't know'. Stiles had left that night completely pissed and when he got home, his dad was on the couch watching tv and drinking.

"What are you doing?" Stiles' voice was harsh and he tried to reign himself back in, but it was so hard when he was so angry. "Scott said you got hit by a car."

The Sheriff's eyes were glazed over a bit, but the man managed a straight and coherent answer. "The car bumped me Stiles. It was hardly an injury or a car accident." Stiles nodded, taking the steady heart beat as proof. His dad believed himself fine, then so be it. Climbing up to his room he knew Derek would be there, and that was the only think that made the whole night bearable.

"Tomorrow night. Hale Mansion." Derek's voice had come from the window, and Stiles could only manage a nod before Derek was gone, taking his scent with him. Sleep wasn't easy that night, but he hardly wanted to think about it right now. Right now he had something better to focus on.

The darkness surrounded them, the light from the moon being the only thing illuminating their forms when the clouds parted enough for the moon to shine.

"So what else are we going to do?"

Stiles' swung his foot out in a high kick, knowing Derek would duck, before bringing his heel down heavily, missing the older wolf by a hair as Derek threw himself back. He didn't waste any time, stepping forward and throwing a knee out, stumbling a bit when Derek caught it and hit him in the stomach with an open palm. He used his arms and the momentum to turn the fall into a back hand spring before crouching on all fours and using his arms and his legs to launch himself at Derek. He caught the older wolf around the waist and brought them both down, Stiles scrambling to pin Derek's hips with his weight and hold his arms down. He wasn't fast enough before Derek bucked his hips up hard and threw Stiles' smaller form off.

"Your training has been fine so far. I don't really know how else to teach you. I am what I am because of birth, you were bitten. Teaching someone who was bitten takes time." Derek jumped to his feet, getting a solid stance ready before he advanced on Stiles.

Neither moved for a second, just walked in a circle, sizing each other up. The first to make a move this time was Derek. Faster than the naked eye could catch, Derek's right fist shot out in a straight punch, Stiles ducking under it before forcing his palm up under Derek's chin. Derek saw it coming and threw his head back to avoid a majority of the blow, bending the arm he used to punch at the elbow to drive it down on Stiles' shoulder, catching the younger wolf by surprise enough to use his left hand to deliver and open palmed strike to Stiles' solar plexus. When Stiles stumbled back, Derek came at him again.

Stiles ducked as Derek's right hook came at him, taking a lesson from his earlier failure he used his speed to side stepped Derek's body and hit the middle of the older wolf's back with an elbow. Derek used the push forward to brace on his hands and swing his legs up in an arching kick, but Stiles was already out of the way, dropping down and swinging a leg out to sweep Derek's hands out from under him, but Derek had already finished the front flip. With a surge forward and his own sweeping kick, Derek took Stiles' legs out from under him.

"Oh shit!" Stiles yelled as his legs gave out and he landed on his back, the wind knocked out of his lungs. "How do you freakin' do that! I'm the fast one here damn it."

Derek's smirking face hovered above him before the winner offered a hand down to the loser.

"You are the faster runner, but your movements are hesitant. Like you are afraid to hurt me. I guarantee if you were more confident in your attacks, that heel drop would have caught me."

Stiles nodded, knowing that Derek was right. He didn't want to hurt the older man, even though he knew any bruises or injuries sustained would take mere moments to heal. "So what else can we do? How else can you teach me?"

Derek shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "It's instinctual for me Stiles. I don't know how else to show you what you should be feeling. It's all about-" The ringing of a phone cut him off.

Stiles cursed as he dug into the pocket of his jeans, pulling it out and checking the caller ID before he answered.

"What do you want Scott?" Stiles still wasn't happy about Scott ignoring his text and call the other day. He especially didn't like how Scott only called him after there was trouble.

"I saw the Alpha man! I saw the Alpha!"

Stiles' eyes widened, his mouth falling open and the inability to speak sinking in. Suddenly the phone wasn't in his hands anyone.

"What did you see? Did you talk to him?" Derek's voice was harsh as he spoke into the receiver, his grip on the phone so hard that Stiles heard the metal groan softly.

"I did- I was- I just left Allison's house and he- I thought it was you or Stiles or- or, Derek he drew something on my car window in the condensation, some sort of spiral thing, I don't know what it means. I'm at home now, can you….can you send Stiles here?"

Derek snorted and Stiles could almost feel the disbelief flowing off the bigger wolf in waves. Stiles was thinking along the same lines though. Scotty boy only wants me around when there's trouble. But then a serious look took over.

"Wait, he drew what?" Derek's voice had an edge to it now and Stiles was confused. He'd never heard that sharp tone in Derek's voice before, not even when they'd first met.

"A…A spiral thing, like I don't know dude. Can you just, I think he's after me or something."

"He's not after you." Derek sounded so sure that Scott was not the only one who was left sputtering.

"How do you know that?" Stiles asked quietly, knowing Derek would hear him.

The older wolf pulled the phone away from his ear before he spoke. "Scott was in Allison's house. Hunters, Stiles. If the Alpha went after Scott, it was because he smelt like the Argents. Scott isn't anything special or interesting. We figured out that he was after something. Now I know what it is." Derek's face was grave and Stiles reached out a hand to lay it on his shoulder, his own nervousness reflected in the wavering of his voice.

"And that would be?"

"Revenge. That is what the spiral means."

"Stiles! Derek!"

Scott's voice sounded panicked so Stiles took the phone before Derek could speak into it.

"Scott, I'm not happy with you right now, but I don't want you in danger. You want to stay alive, stay away from Allison. Do you hear me? The Alpha came for you because you smell like her, you smell like hunters. Stay away from Allison and you will be safe." Before he could hear the protesting on the other end of the line, Stiles ended the call and stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

"I better get going." Stiles sighed. He didn't want to, but part of him was also worried about his dad. It had been nothing more than a bump, but the Sheriff wasn't as young anymore. "Same time tomorrow?"

Derek nodded, but just as Stiles took a step towards his car, Derek's hand wrapped around his bicep.

"The full moon is coming up Stiles. It's going to be harder keeping control this time after you managed to keep from shifting last time. Just be careful."

Stiles nodded, and Derek seemed satisfied. When the bigger wolf's iron grip was gone, Stiles turned around and threw his arms around Derek's neck, pulling him into a hug before just as quickly letting go.

"Thanks." Stiles murmured as he walked away.

"You're welcome." Stiles caught Derek's whispered reply before he got in the jeep and drove back home. He had school tomorrow.

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Stiles heard Scott's approach from a mile away. The quiet mantra of 'Stay away from Allison, stay away from Allison' changed to 'Stay away from Jackson' before a frustrated groan echoed out and Scott finally made it to class. Stiles didn't even bother to look his best friend's way as Scott took the seat behind him and started talking.

"Still not talking to me?" Stiles shook his head mutely. No, he wasn't happy with Scott at all. Calling only when he needed help, ignoring all of Stiles' own calls for help. True friend, thy name is NOT Scott.

"Okay, at least tell me your dad is alright. You know, just a bruise. Soft tissue damage. Nothing…really serious." Stiles wanted to turn around and punch Scott, but he pushed it down. His anger was making his pulse rack up and he needed to keep control. "You know I feel really bad about it, right?"

"What Scott, what do you feel bad about? Completely ditching me for Allison? Or how about calling me only when you have a problem while you completely ignore mine? Or maybe you're sorry about how hostile you are to a person who has only ever been trying to help me!" Stiles hissed under his breath, turning around to glare at Scott.

Scott shrunk back a bit before sighing. "Yeah okay, I haven't been the best of friends, but-"

"'haven't been the best'?" Stiles shot him in incredulous look. "Scott, you've been the worst friend. Like the suckiest sort of friend I could have ever come up with." Scott had the decency to look guilty before he sighed again.

"I'm staying away from Allison okay? I know how serious things are getting and I want to help. Whether or not I trust Derek, I trust you. Please? Can you at least tell me what he said?"

Stiles is actually proud of himself for holding off for as long as he did. But just like always, he cracked.

Turing around, he finally spoke straight to Scott. "There is a big dangerous Alpha out there looking for revenge on a family of hunters, for I don't even know what, and you and I are stuck in the middle of it because I got turned into a werewolf, and you are in love with one of the hunters out to kill me. Let's add on the fact that my dad is the Sheriff investigating all of these murders without knowing the whole story, my mentor is a grumpy werewolf with attitude problems and a hatred for the family of hunters that likely rivals the big dangerous Alpha's, and I am almost at a break through about the connection between all of the people murdered. Yeah Scott. I need your help, just like you need mine."

Scott looked surprised but nodded slowly as Stiles turned back around to pay attention to the teacher.

They didn't speak again until the bell rang, and this time it was Scott's turn to spill.

"Allison's aunt gave her some clue about her family history the other night. I was in the closet and I heard them talking about some legend about a big wolf."

Stiles frowned as they walked, "What was it called?"

"La bête du…something. Gevadun or whatever."

Stiles almost choked on his tongue, before nodding his head. "La Bête du Gévaudan? Yeah, it's this French legend about a beast that killed over a hundred people in a village a billion years ago. The name of the hunter who finally managed to kill La Bête was named Argent. Allison's ancestors. But why is that relevant?"

"Allison really seems like she doesn't know anything, but her family does. Her aunt especially. She the only one of Allison's family that I've seen so far even mention anything about werewolves."

Stiles raised an eyebrow. "So what? You think her aunt is up to something?"

Scott shook his head, a look of confusion crossing his face before he nodded. "Yeah maybe. I just. I don't get a good feeling from her dude. Back when I stole the bullet for Derek, she confronted me and asked me what I took, I thought she was on to me."

"What happened then? How'd you manage to leave with the bullet?"

The look of embarrassment that crossed Scott's face was hilarious, right up until he spoke. "Allison said she did it. Then she pulled out a condom."

Stiles grinned. "That's ma boy!" he thumped hand on Scott's shoulder and laughed when his friend groaned and pitched over.

"Dude Stiles, that super strength thing, you gotta be more conscious of that."

The werewolf just laughed at that, not even one bit guilty for seeing his friend in pain. "Yeah I know. I've been sparring with Derek, I'm actually a really good fighter now."

Scott snorted. "What's he teaching you anyways? Like guerrilla warfare?"

Stiles rolled his whisky colored eyes and shook his head at his best friend's stupidity. "Dude, guerrilla warfare is a tactic, not a style. No, he's been teaching me martial arts. Street fighting, playing dirty, even a bit of Brazilian dance fighting, but just the ground work. Enough to protect myself you know? So I don't rely on the wolf when I'm in trouble."

"So you can keep control?" Scott asked.

"Yeah," Stiles smiled as his friend got the gist of it. "But he doesn't really know if he can teach me how to stay in control during the shift. He said it's different for born and bitten wolves. It's all up to me to learn, but I needed someone's help. I know Derek wouldn't be willing to do it."

"Why wouldn't he be willing to do it?"

Stiles grinned now, almost feral. "Because it involves getting me angry."

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"Okay."

Stiles carried the gym back out into the field, a lacrosse stick held in his other hand before he threw everything down on the bench and pulled out the strap he'd stored in the bag.

"Isn't that one of the heart monitors for the track team?" Scott asked skeptically.

"Yeah I borrowed it," Stiles said as he lifted his shirt to put the monitor on.

"You stole it."

Stiles looked up at Scott, the annoyance shining through. "Temporarily misappropriated. Coach use it to monitor his heart rate while he jogs so I'm going to put this on and wear it for the rest of the day."

He pulled out the next item from his pocket, but Scott spoke up again. "Isn't that Coach's phone?"

"That I stole." Stiles admitted before finally managing to get the monitor on.

"Why?" Scott asked confused and amused. Stiles rolled his eyes before he launched into his explanation.

"Well, my heart rate goes up when I go wolf. When I'm angry, or stressed, or when someone is in danger. So, I figured the only way to learn how to control it, is to control my heart rate."

Scott takes a moment to nod in understanding before he starts to smile like a loon. "So, like the Incredible Hulk."

Stiles thinks about it for only a second before nodding himself. "Kind of like the Yncredible Hulk, yeah."

"You're like the Incredible Hulk," Scott says again, almost laughing before Stiles huffs and pushes the phone into Scott's hands.

"Will you just, hold onto this. The whole point of doing this is controlling my heart rate. So what you got to do, is try to get me angry."

"Are you going to wolf out and attack me if I do?" Scott sounded less enthusiastic about this now, but Stiles just grinned.

"Not if this works like it's supposed to, but there is a definite possibility of that, yes. While you try to rile me up, you keep an eye on my heart rate. It starts to get too high, you stop. Anything and everything and you try and get me back to my senses. Understood?"

"Look, Stiles, I'm not sure about-"

"You wanna help me or not Scott?"

A weak nod gave Stiles his answer and with a sigh of his own, Stiles handed Scott the duct tape.

"Tie my hands behind my back with this," Stiles instructed as he turned around and put his hands behind his back.

"You know, this isn't exactly how I wanted to spend my free period."

"Shut up. Alright. You're ready? Remember, if I wolf out, don't run. That'll only make me want to chase you." Stiles smirked when Scott paled and took the lacrosse stick into his hands. "Now come on. I promise I won't bite that hard."

Scott swallowed loudly. "This seems like a really bad idea." And then started throwing the balls at Stiles, who took each hit with a small wince. "Come on man, put some arm into it. You're supposed to be the co-captain!"

That got the desired effect. Hit after hit came his way and Stiles took them, the pain intense for a couple of seconds before it faded. When one of them hit his shoulder, he felt the spike.

"Scott!" Stiles called, but not loud enough. Another ball came at his chest. "Scott, I'm warning-" a hit to his right thigh.

"Scott!" He howled it this time, the growl unmistakable, just like his eyes and teeth. He heard Scott's own heart spike and when the human boy dropped the lacrosse stick and turned tail, Stiles tried to call again. "Don't! Scott don't run!" but it was too late. The teen took off, and Stiles felt it. The need to chase.

The angrier he got, the stronger he got, he broke through the tape and took chase, his senses reeling with the instinct to hunt the scared prey, but then he heard it. The beeping of the heart monitor. An anchor, he needed to find an anchor, something to cool his head. Something to tie him to humanity.

His dad. His dad worked before. He thought about his father, his Sheriff father out there right now, directly in the path of danger, pursuing more about the murders because he doesn't believe a mountain lion did it. It doesn't work. The thought of his father in danger just makes him angrier.

His mother. That one worked too. His sweet and caring mother who left them behind. Who made his father cry, who abandoned them and it was all his fault. It's not working!

Derek! Think about Derek. Derek's hands, strong and powerful. Safe. Derek's scent, wood, ash, and home. His eyes, mist green and brimming with concern and affection.

He fell to his knees as the sudden weakness took over. All of the strength he had felt before was now gone as his wolf receded and he was back to himself. Then a realization hit him. Derek, he had thought about Derek.

Derek, is my anchor. How very freakin poetic.

"Dude, Stiles, are you okay?"

He turned his head up, pinning Scott with a glare Derek would be proud of. "I told you not to run Scott!" Stiles growled out, forcing the words past his throat.

"I'm sorry dude! Your eyes went yellow and you were all fangs and claws! I wasn't going to stick around to be your chew toy!"

"I was in control Scott! I lost it when you went running! Do you have any idea how much I wanted to rip you to shreds the second you took off?! I told you not to run!" He felt the anger coming again, his heart beat ramping up. He closed his eyes and thought about Derek. The way Derek's hand felt warm and heavy on the back of his neck, how solid Derek's body was every time he managed to come up with an excuse to hug the older wolf. "I was in control, Scott," Stiles says again, much calmer.

"Yeah okay," Scott answered as he offered Stiles a hand up. "Come on dude. We better get going."

Stiles allowed himself to be pulled up, all the while thinking about what he was going to tell Derek about his Anchor.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

The whole school day passed with Stiles trying to find a way to tell Scott that he found his control, while keeping to himself exactly what that control is. It also passed with Scott trying, and failing epically, to avoid Allison. All the while Stiles kept a close eye on his own heart rate.

Needless to say, everyone failed today.

Scott had a date with Allison, Stiles hadn't quite gotten past Derek being his anchor, and when Scott keyed a truck and got the thugs to come at Stiles so they could test the heart rate thing again, Stiles used every trick Derek had taught him to take the bigger dudes down. Needless to say, they both got detention when Harris found them in the parking lot beating people up.

"Excuse me sir, I know this is detention and all, but I'm supposed to be at work and I don't want to get fired."

Scott's words were met with a sympathetic look and a resounding silence, so with a shake of his head, Scott gave up and turned to Stiles who kept on playing with his pencil like nothing was happening.

"Okay, Derek taught you shit, I won't doubt it again, but seriously? What was that, Kung-fu? You were like freaking Jackie Chan or Yoda! Do you know how fast you were moving?"

Stiles rolled his eyes as Scott kept on going. "Yeah Scott, I'm a werewolf. Figured you would have noticed this by now," Still, the smug smile on Stiles face just wouldn't leave. "Now you got to learn to trust Derek. Why would he teach me to fight like that if all he wanted was to use me? I'm so good, I even beat him sometimes." It was such a lie, but Stiles was still going to roll with it. "So, you want to tell me why you almost got me beaten up by those guys?"

Scott looked away before shrugging his shoulders. "I thought it would help you learn."

"But instead it helped you learn," Stiles retorted knowingly. Again, Scott looked away, guilty and speechless.

"Dude…" Scott breathed. Stiles sat there, waiting for what the human boy was going to say. He could still feel the anger in him, he'd told Scott that he might have found his anchor, only to have the other boy drag him to the parking lot and almost beaten up. If Stiles hadn't been sparring with Derek almost every day, chances are, he would have been. And Scott had been expecting him to be. "You're my best friend and I can't have you being angry with me."

Stiles couldn't keep from snorting. "Can't have me being angry with you? Well, look at all the things you've done Scott. Every help you tried to give just ended up failing!" Stiles was hissing now, keeping his voice low but it was obvious Harris was listening in.

"I saved Derek!" Scott defended, and Stiles bristled.

"You only did that so you could have a reason to demand that he stay away from me. You aren't helping me Scott, even today you couldn't listen! I told you not. To. Run." Stiles' eyes flashed but he was breathing deeply, in through his mouth and out through his nose. "Let's not even mention the guys you got to try and beat me up? How was that even a smart plan Scott?! If Derek hadn't been teaching me to defend myself, I would have instinctively-" his eyes flicked over to Harris before turning back to Scott and drastically lowing his voice. "Ripped them all to pieces with my teeth."

"I said I was sorry! I was trying to help you keep control Stiles! You asked for my help and I was trying!"

Stiles rolled his eyes before sighing. "Listen to me Scott. I have something. Whether I wanted it or not, it doesn't matter. I don't have a choice anymore. I have to do something, I have to protect the people I care about. I told you that I found it, I found an anchor, but-"

"I wanted you to be sure. I wanted you to know you could keep control. I know I ran Stiles, but I didn't run far, I watched you on the field. You stayed there crouched on the grass for fifteen minutes holding yourself in. When I saw you like that, I believed you. You can keep control. I thought if I tried something more stressful, and I didn't run away this time, you would trust me. I thought I would make it up from running away from you the first time."

Stiles didn't say anything. He just ran his friends words through his mind. He hadn't been listening to Scott heart, he'd been too busy trying to hear the words, so he didn't really know if they were true. "I'm not angry anymore." He sighed as he looked at Scott, who had on the sad puppy dog eyes that Stiles was sure worked on Allison, if not every girl in the world. And hell if it wasn't sort of working on him too.

"Scott, it's okay to be scared of me. Hell, sometimes, I'm scared of me. And if you aren't brave enough to stick by my side when things get really scary, then I need to know. I need someone there who won't run away, from me, or anything."

"I won't run away." Scott answered, and Stiles heard his heart beat this time. Scott believed his own words. He wouldn't run away.

"Okay then." Stiles nodded, offering a weak smile to his friend, who returned it gingerly.

"Okay you two," Harris said, his eyes going from one to the other. "You can both go."

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"Dude! Your crazy mentor just beat the hell out of my boss!"

Scott's voice was panicked through the phone and Stiles was so thrown for a loop he honestly didn't know how to answer.

"Well…hello there, it's nice to talk to you too. Oh, I'm okay, how are you?"

"Stiles I'm serious just…come pick me up." Scott sounded frustrated, so Stiles just gave up and agreed.

"What are we going to go do man, it's like nine o'clock at night."

"Just pick me up and I'll explain okay. I have a plan."

"Scott, you're not the planner type. All your plans just end up more like very bad ideas."

"Stiles!"

"Okay okay okay, I'll be right there. Just give me a few"

When Stiles heard the plan, his thoughts were confirmed. It just sounded like a very bad idea. So he said so.

"This is a terrible idea."

"Yeah I know." Scott answered, confusing Stiles completely.

"W-what? We're still going to do it?"

"Can you think of something better?"

Stiles didn't, so he went with his fall back plan. Sarcasm. "Well, personally I'm a fan of ignoring a problem until it eventually goes away."

"Just make sure we can get inside okay? You have to do this, we don't have any other choice."

Stiles sighs as he opens the back of his jeep, pulling out the bolt cutters just as he hears Derek's car rolling into the parking lot.

The first thing he wants to do is go greet the older wolf, but he refrains. They don't exactly know how to interact when there is someone else there. Scott or anyone really. So he hangs back and lets Scott greet Derek instead.

"Where's my boss?" Okay, not very much of a greeting, but it didn't matter.

"He's in the back." Derek answers. And when Stiles goes to check, he can't help but cringe.

"Well he looks comfortable." He comments as he gives Derek a look. You couldn't have been a little gentler?

Derek gives him a look right back, and Stiles is mildly surprised when he understands it. Stiles I'm hardly in the mood to be gentle.

And then Stiles' mind starts to wander to a not-very-innocent zone where Derek is never gentle.

"Stiles," Derek's voice brings his attention back to reality and he is a bit disappointed, but the smirk on Derek's face before Stiles turns to follow Scott was enough to make him smile. That is until: "Whoa! Hey! What are you doing?"

Stiles turned to answer, but before he could, Scott spoke up. "You said Stiles was linked to the Alpha. We're going to see if you're right."

When they made it inside the school, Stiles finally started to think about Scott's plan in detail. "Okay, one question," They made their way to the office, where the PA system held the key to Scott's oh-so-bright plan. Stiles really wasn't liking this, but Scott was trying to help, and he wasn't running this time. Stiles would take it. "What are we going to do if the Alpha doesn't show up?"

"I don't know." Scott answered with a shake of his head.

Stiles looked up skeptically, "And what are we going to do if he does show up?"

"I don't know."

Stiles rolled his eyes this time. "Great plan dude."

Scott sighed before he sagged against the office counter. "We have to do something man. Derek went after my boss because he thought Deaton was the Alpha. We have to do something Stiles, Derek won't wait anymore."

"Derek is trying to find the Alpha too Scott. You came up with one plan, Derek and I have been at this for a couple of months now." Stiles said with a glare as he turned the PA system on. "Okay, so what exactly is your plan here?"

"You said that a wolf howls to signal its location to the pack."

Stiles wanted to throttle him. "So what does it mean if he comes Scott?! I don't want to be a part of his pack!"

"Stiles, we're already here, and if we catch him tonight, you're off the hook. Come on. Just do it," Scott pushed the microphone system to Stiles, urging him on with his eyes.

Stiles grimaced, cursing himself colorfully for following along with this damn plan in the first place. With a deep breath he pressed the 'live' button. A second later, he let it go. "No- no man, I don't think I can do this."

"Stiles, do you want to find the Alpha or do you want the Alpha to find your dad?" That did it.

Again Stiles cursed himself, this time adding some very creative ones for Scott as well before pressing down the button and letting his voice loose.

"I am going to kill the both of you!" Derek's anger was palpable and Stiles couldn't help but want to smile. "What the hell was that?! What are you trying to do, attract the entire state to the school?"

"Sorry, we didn't realize it would be that loud," Scott says with a bit of a laugh, Stiles grins.

"Yeah," Stiles agrees, stepping a bit closer to Derek. "It was loud, and it was awesome."

"Shut up," Derek deadpans, though Stiles can smell it, the pride behind the words. Derek wanted to join in the howl, Stiles could feel it humming in his bones and he knew Derek felt the same thing.

"Don't be such a Sourwolf. If you want to howl too, go ahead. I'm not stopping you." Stiles smiled as he shuffled a bit closer to Derek, throwing his head back and letting out another howl. Now that it wasn't amplified, it sounded smoother, more calming instead of the intense one that bellowed from him before. This was only his second true howl and it felt so good.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Derek's lips twitch up in a smirk before another howl joined his in the night sky, both him and Derek calling to the moon and to each other. It felt even better, It was perfect…until Scott broke their moment.

"What did you do with him?"

Derek stopped mid howl and looked around, confused but on edge. "What?" He looked back into the back seat of his car where Dr. Deaton was no longer unconscious, the good doctor was no longer there at all. "I didn't do anything."

Before anyone could say anything else, Stiles felt the presence of the Alpha, he knew it was the Alpha.

"Derek!" Stiles yelled but he was too late. Blood ran down Derek's chin and Stiles could see the black claws poking out from Derek's chest, the claws of the Alpha.

"Stiles!" Scott yelled as he grabbed onto Stiles' arm and started pulling them away and into the school.

"Derek!" Was all Stiles could say or think or focus on as the Alpha lifted Derek off the ground from the grip on his internal organs and threw him against the school building.

"Stiles move! Come on!" Scott tugged harder and managed to get them both inside the school just as what had happened sunk into Stiles brain.

The building emotions were raging inside of him, his control was quickly slipping and he didn't know what to do about it. So he howled one more time. It shook the walls of the school without the assistance of the PA system, and it echoed with pain. It was a cry and Stiles wasn't sure if he could hold it in. So he howled again.

"Dude! Stiles, stop! Stop!"

Stiles barely registered it when Scott tackled him to the ground, covering his mouth with a warm and sweaty hand. On instinct, Stiles bit down and Scott screamed.

That scream brought him back. The realization that he was hurting someone, that he was hurting Scott, snapped him back to reality.

Stiles let out a whimper, no one was there to really hear it but Scott, who held his hand protectively to his chest and stared at Stiles like he was a monster. "Derek! He's out there with the Alpha. I can't just leave him out there, he's-"

"He's dead Stiles!" Scott said harshly. Whiskey eyes flashed gold and Stiles was suddenly on top of Scott, pushing the weaker body down to the floor and growling in his best friend's face.

"You! Your fault!" Stiles sneered. "Your stupid idea! Your dumb plan got Derek…" and he couldn't even finish that thought. Couldn't bring himself to speak the words out loud. This time, neither could Scott.

"I didn't think he would- I didn't think he would actually come Stiles!"

But the damage was done. Stiles would never see Derek again, his anchor was dead, and there was nothing left to keep him grounded anymore. The anger was like lava running through his veins but the only thing that kept him from killing Scott right then was the scream of pain his friend had released before. It echoed in his head on repeat. Just like Derek's words from before.

"We are predators, but we don't have to be killers."


	7. Episode Seven: Night School

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Seven: Night School

He can't be dead. He wouldn't be taken down that easily, it was just another wound, he'll heal from it, he just needs some times. Yeah that's it some time. He'll be up again and helping me fright off the Alpha, I just have to buy him some time. I just have to buy me and Scott some time too. I have to stay alive so that I can be here to help him when Derek comes back. Yeah that's it, he will come back, he has to. He wouldn't leave me like this. I didn't even get the chance to tell him how I felt…oh my god, I haven't told him how I felt.

Humanity was slowly seeping back in with each new thought. He had a solid anchor for now. He wouldn't use Derek himself anymore, the thought of Derek only made Stiles see red, so instead he would use his feelings for Derek. He needed to tell Derek, life was too short. What was he thinking, keeping it in and hiding it like he did with Lydia, it was stupid, they didn't have all the time in the world, if he was going to get rejected, then so be it at least he would know!

"Try to lock the door!" Scott's voice called from outside Stiles' mind palace. It was fine, Stiles needed to stop thinking so hard anyways. They were both in a serious situation, a serious and very troubling situation that would most likely result in the death of both of them. Most likely Scott though. Which now that Stiles thought about it, would be completely fine by him. Scott has done nothing but get Derek arrested and now killed. NO! Don't think about that!

"Do I look like I have a freakin key?!" Stiles snapped at Scott as they rushed to keep the school's main doors shut.

"Grab something!" Scott retorted, yelling now in his own panicking human fear. Stiles could smell it everywhere and it was an irritation on his nose. It also heightened his own emotions, and not just the fear but the want to attack Scott and make the human boy pay for the loss of a pack mate.

"What?!" Stiles snapped back. He was growling and he knew it, but fuck Scott. Scott should be happy his blood wasn't all over the School floors and his head wasn't placed inside Allison's locker as a nice present.

"Anything!"

And that's when the idea hit him. The bolt cutters.

Standing up straight, he looked out the narrow windows of the door to check if the bolt cutters were still outside where he had dropped them. And they were, right there at the entrance.

Stiles ignored Scott's weak protests as he pulled the door open and slipped outside, he smelled it almost instantly, Derek's blood.

His eyes shifted and his teeth were down before he could do anything, but he shook his head. He would ignore the change for now and focus on keeping his mind together. The second he decided this, he started to hear the thumping. Wavering and weak, with a stutter on every third beat. Derek's heartbeat.

He was about to rush towards the sound when another kind of thumping caught his attention. He looked back at Scott and saw the panic and desperation on the human boy's face. When he looked in front of him again, he saw why. The Alpha was coming out from behind his blue jeep, the glowing eyes trained on Stiles.

The wolf inside of him wanted to pounce. He wanted revenge for his pack mate and blood for the loss, but another part, the part now anchored by Scott's shouts, knew he would not win a fight with the Alpha. He could barely win the fights with Derek and those had been sparing. So he dashed forward, his superior speed allowing for him to reach the bolt cutters in a second before he went back to the door ripping it open before pulling it closed behind him, securing the bolt cutters between the metal bars of the doors.

"Derek's alive." Stiles breathed, allowing a small smile to light his face before it disappeared just as quickly when Scott spoke up.

"That won't hold will it?"

Stiles backed up with Scott, eyeing the poor job of restraining the door they had managed. "Probably not." He answered honestly before looking back at the empty and dark hallway. He had walked these halls so many days but never had he been so afraid of them.

When the howl pierced the night air, Stiles and Scott both panicked, bolting to the closest classroom. They both went for the desk first, trying to use it to block the door. The squeak of the desk made Stiles grimace before he told Scott to stop.

"The door's not going to keep it out." Stiles breathed, his heart pounding in his ears. So many things ran circles in his head, but he held onto his new anchor. His feelings for Derek. If we survive this Derek, I won't hide it anymore okay? I'm going to tell you and damn the consequences. So just…heal okay. Just wait and heal, I can take care of myself for now.

"I know." Scott answered, before a sudden thought crossed Stiles' mind.

"It's your boss."

"What?"

"The Alpha? Deaton? Your boss." Stiles was more than certain now.

"No." Scott protested, and Stiles cut him off.

"Yes! Murdering, psycho-werewolf!"

"That can't be!" Scott shook his head, denying the idea completely. This just made Stiles angrier.

"Oh come on!" Stiles hissed, his teeth bared but under control. "He disappears and that things turns up ten seconds later to toss Derek twenty feet through the air? That's not convenient?"

"It's not him. He didn't kill Derek."

"Derek's not dead!" Stiles growled it now, eyes shifting. "He can't be."

"Blood spurted out of his mouth Stiles. You can't tell me that it isn't something fatal." Scott argued back.

"To a human maybe, but we are werewolves Scott." Stiles answered with more confidence than he really felt.

"Okay, fine! But what do we do now Stiles? How are we going to get out of here?" Scott was panting, his heart was pounding, and all of it was getting to Stiles like nothing else had before. This heighted fear and adrenaline. He need to hold onto his humanity, needed control or he would leave this school tonight with electric blue eyes.

"Get to my jeep." Stiles answered. This was the first step of course, they needed to get away from the School, draw the Alpha out and away from the surly healing Derek. Please be stronger than that Alpha Derek. Please be alive. "We get out of here, and you seriously think about quitting your job."

Scott nodded and together, they raced to the window. When Scott tried to open it, Stiles stopped him. Breaking the windows was another option, but it was noisy. If they made a break for it, Stiles knew he could outrun the Alpha, he was the fastest wolf Derek had ever seen after all, but he didn't think Scott could. He could carry Scott, possibly, but that would slow him down tremendously and he wasn't sure he was that fast.

"Stiles what happened to the hood of your jeep?"

Stiles felt his heart stutter. "Nothing.' Stiles said. "Nothing's wrong with my jeep." He came up behind Scott, taking a closer look at his vehicle.

"It's bent." Scott said in awe.

"What? Do you mean like, dented?" Stiles knew though, he could see it better than Scott. Something had been ripped out. Most likely, something very important.

The sudden crash of the glass above them shocked them both and they ducked. The car batter flew through the window and skidded on the floor a bit, coming to a stop in front of the door. Stiles recognized it, not that it would take a genius to guess where the battery came from.

"We have to move." Stiles said. Scott rounded on him, wide eyes scared and reluctant.

"He could be right outside!" Scott protested, but that was just stupid.

"He is right outside!" Stiles pointed at his car battery before grabbing Scott's arm. "Somewhere without windows."

Scott tried to shake him off, but Stiles wouldn't let go. He noticed how Scott flinched when Stiles' claws ripped through his jacket but he didn't stop. "Every room in this building has windows." Scott argued.

"Somewhere with less windows." Stiles prompted. It clicked to both of them at once, but Scott was the one to call it out.

"The locker room."

The rush through the halls was a quick walk, each one panting with more fear than exhaustion. It didn't take long to reach the locker room and once inside, Scott got another idea.

"Call your dad." He said quickly, looking around to make sure the room was empty.

"And tell him what?" Stiles frowned and shook his head, opening his sense before regretting it instantly and lowering them all to human levels. Oh god, human boys are so disgusting. He didn't even want to think about that fact that before he became a sensitive werewolf, he had also smelled just like them. Having a strong nose to smell your own scents makes one more conscious of showers, just saying.

"I don't know, anything." Scott looked around the room again, this time looking for a crisis to lie about. "A gas leak, a fire, whatever. If that thing sees a parking lot filled with cop cars, it'll take off."

Stiles wanted to deck the idiot human boy, but he settled for growling. "What if it doesn't? What if it goes completely terminator and kills every cop in sight. Including my dad!" This was a fear he had constantly in the back of his mind. His dad was the sheriff in the frontline to all this weirdness with no real clue how truly weird it all actually was.

"They have guns!" Scott argued, but Stiles already saw it coming and had a comeback ready.

"Yeah, and Derek had to be shot with a wolf's bane laced bullet just to slow him down. You remember that?" It had been a very tense day for everyone, but for Stiles it had almost been the loss of his sanity, not that he knew it at the time.

"We have to…" Scott was at his wits end, Stiles saw it and heard it and smelled it all around the boy. This was too much for the poor little human, and a part of Stiles, the cruel part, wasn't satisfied enough. His so called best friend had been nothing but trouble since the arrival of Allison Argent. Hell, the werewolf bite would have probably gone over fine and he would have had Scott's support if Allison wasn't always on his friend's mind. "We have to find a way to get out of here and just run for it."

"Scott, there is nothing around the school for a least a mile."

"What about Derek's car?"

Stiles felt his eyes go wide, a slow grin coming to his face despite the situation. "That's right. That could work. We just got the get the keys from Derek and all three of us would be home free."

"Stiles, Derek is dead, we have to leav-"

The werewolf in Stiles moved faster than either one noticed and in an instant, Stiles had Scott slammed against a locker, his face close to the human teen's before he snarled. "We take him with us."

Scott's nod was hurried and frightened, and when Stiles let him go, Scott had to take a couple of seconds to calm himself before walking behind Stiles. "You know, Derek should have taught you more about how to control your anger. We could sign you up for a werewolf anger management course or something." It was said to break the tension, but it didn't work. Stiles just kept walking, ignoring Scott's presence until suddenly, he stopped in his tracks.

"Someone's coming." He whispered, his body stiff as he listened to the footsteps coming from the other side of the locker room door. "Scott! Someone's coming! Hide!"

Stiles took Scott by the back of the neck and pushed him toward a locker, before opening one himself and getting inside. He didn't wait to see if Scott got into one himself before he closed his eyes and focused on his hearing.

A heartbeat, steady but not strong, slightly clogged up on every fourth pump. It wasn't the Alpha, no werewolf had problems with cholesterol, but no one should be in the school. So who was this?

When the locker room door was pulled open, Stiles let his sense of smell strengthen, taking longer than it normally would to sort through the smell of teenage body odor and sweaty socks until he reached the smell of dirty water and cleaning products. The janitor.

When Stiles opened his locker's door, the janitor had already opened Scott's. Stiles heard the heartbeat sky rocket in fear at the sudden presence of two teenage boys, but soon the fear was replaced by anger.

"What the hell are you doing here?!" The janitor barked. Neither Stiles nor Scott really had an answer for that. "Both of you, get out."

Stiles sighed before he started talking. "Just listen for half a second okay?"

The janitor scowled. "Not okay! Get the hell out of here right now." The janitor grabbed both of them by the backs of their coats and dragged them to the door, pushing them out of the locker room with ease, that's when Stiles heard it, the panting of the Alpha. "Just go! Get out of here and go!" The janitor barked again and before Stiles could get a word out, the janitor was pulled back into the locker room and the door slammed closed. The outline of the janitor's body filled the glass and his screams filled the halls and just like that, Scott and Stiles took off running.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"A psychotic werewolf who is into team work!"

Stiles couldn't help but freak out as they ran. They didn't even know where the Alpha was anymore. They had lost him for now. "Even trapping the stupid thing didn't work man! What the hell are we going to do?!"

"Maybe he would have stayed in the damn room if you didn't freaking antagonize it!" Scott argued back.

"The thing attacked Derek Scott!" Stiles growled, and then he stopped. "Dude, do you hear that?"

"What? Hear what Stiles?" Scott turned on him, fear heavy in the air.

"It's a phone, its sounds like somebody's phone ringing." Stiles clarified. "It sounds like Allison's phone."

"Allison! Stiles you're telling me Allison is in the school with the Alpha on the loose! Stiles he's going to kill her if he finds her here! Give me your phone."

It was Allison. One call, and they were together, all three of them standing around the lobby panicked and scared.

"Why did you come? What are you doing here?" Scott asked with a bit more edge to his voice than Stiles thought Allison would understand. The girl didn't know about the danger she was in, that was for sure by her face.

"You asked me to come here?" she answered hesitantly.

Scott shot her a look of confusion. "What? I asked you to?" She heard the disbelief in his tone apparently because next thing she did was bring out her phone, the message from Scott clear on the front screen.

"Meet me at the school. URGENT – Scott" it read. It was sent at 7:12 tonight.

Stiles suddenly felt the need to slam his head repeatedly on something hard when Scott and Allison shared unreadable looks before she spoke up first. "Why do I get the feeling you didn't send this message."

"Because I didn't." Scott answered. Stiles had had enough, here they were literally waiting like lambs in the slaughter. So he cut in.

"Look, did you drive here?" His voice was hard and mean, he knew it was but he couldn't help it. He had already been on edge before, but with Allison here the feeling that he was about to lose control was getting worse and worse.

"Jackson did." She answered.

Stiles didn't even know what to feel this time. "Jackson's here too?"

"And Lydia." Allison's own tone was getting panicked now, she didn't know the danger, but she was starting to sense that it was nowhere near good. "What is going on here, who sent this text?" Her phone started ringing again, and when she picked up, Jackson and Lydia burst into the lobby.

"Finally. Can we go?"

Everyone stopped as the ceiling squeaked and groaned.

The only ones who knew what it really was startled and backed away. Scott grabbed onto Allison's hands before Stiles whispered a harsh, "Run!"

When they took off, the ceiling collapsed.

Everyone was in a dead run, Stiles at the lead, looking back every once in a while to keep track of the Alpha. When they burst into a room, the first thing Scott and Jackson went for was the biggest piece of furniture to block the doors.

Stiles watched for a second before looking at the rest of the room.

"Scott, wait not here." Stiles called, but the mad rush to block the doors made his cry fall on deaf ears. "Guys?"

"Get the chairs stack the chairs!" Scott yelled, completely ignoring Stiles. It's like watching a scary movie and yelling at the stupid actress 'it's right behind you! Run bitch run!' only you know she's going to turn around anyways.

"Just wait a second." Stiles tried again. "You guys." But again, everyone was rushing around getting the doors blocked off with anything they could find. "Guys listen to me! Wait!" No one stopped. Oh my god, we're going to die. I'm going to die at school with a room full of idiots! "Guys! Wait!"

They stacked the chairs on top of the tables against the doors, they worked so well together, like worker ants in an orderly chaos, and if he wasn't being ignored, he would be impressed with the amount of team work in this group. "Guys?" He tried again. "Stiles! Talking!" I think they are quite literally scared OUT of their minds.

"Can we hang on just one second please?" Okay, this was funny at first but now its just getting ridiculously frustrating. "Hello!" It was almost as loud as one of his howls, but it got the desired effect. All four of the humans stopped, turning on their heels to face Stiles, who felt the unhealthy need to laugh at the look on all their faces. This really isn't the time, or place, but it was instinctual to laugh at idiots. "Okay." Stiles breathed now, glad to have everyone's attention. "Nice work. Really beautiful job everyone. Now, what should we do about the twenty foot wall of windows?!" He gestured behind him, presenting said wall. They really didn't even realize we were in the cafeteria.

The look on everyone's faces when they finally realized their whole hearted effort to block the doors was all futile, was comical but Stiles managed to bite back the amusement when Allison spoke.

"Can somebody please explain what's going on here because I am freaking out here?! And I'd like to know why." She looked desperately at Scott, wanting a plausible explanation to dispel her fears and banish the dangers she isn't sure is actually there. Stiles looked to Scott too, wondering what he was going to tell his girlfriend.

If he were being honest, he would admit that he expected Scott to sell him out. Him and his secrets. So he waited. Wondering what his best friend would do now.

When Scott couldn't find words, Stiles decided on something to say. Something to divert everyone's attention. "Somebody killed the janitor." He said. The collective gasps were understandable. "Yeah, the janitor is dead."

Allison's face twisted in a forced smile. Her voice was strained. "What is he talking about? Is this a joke?" again she turned to Scott and Stiles was forced to wait for his friend to try to explain now.

"Who killed him?" Jackson asked. Lydia seemed even more affected than either Allison or Jackson as she mumbled to herself.

"No, no, this was supposed to be over. The mountain lion, it-" but Jackson broke into her thoughts.

"Don't you get it? There wasn't a mountain lion."

"Who was it?!" Allison's voice rose in her panic, her eyes pleading for an answer from Scott's back. "What does he want? What's happening…Scott!"

Stiles stood a little bit away from the humans. Watching the play as it unraveled before him.

"I-I don't know! I- I just…if we go out there he's gonna kill us." Scott said.

"Us?" Lydia's voice when sharp and Stiles had to wince. "He's going to kill us?"

"Who?" Allison insisted, now her eyes turned to Stiles, but he was unprepared for the attention. A psychopathic werewolf out for innocent blood and me so I can join his pack and he can become strong enough to get revenge on your family for something I don't really know, but I'm sure has something to do with the Hale family house burning down years ago. He couldn't say any of that. He couldn't tell the hunter decent that he was a werewolf, it was like signing his death certificate.

When Scott spoke, Stiles almost swallowed his own tongue.

"It's Derek. Derek Hale."

Anger filled Stiles veins in place of blood, his eyes shifted and he had to look away. His claws were buried in his thighs and he struggled to breathe through the rage bubbling to the surface so quickly it was crippling. No he's not…he can't be. He can't be throwing Derek under the bus like that, he can't. But he was. And Stiles couldn't even open his mouth to speak because he knew what would come out, he knew he would growl and snarl and if his claws weren't buried in his own skin, they would be buried in Scott's chest, because this was it. This was the last straw.

Stiles didn't even bother to listen as Scott blamed Derek for everything. Laura, Garrison, the guy in the video store, the janitor, everything. And everyone believed him.

"And if we don't get out now, he's going to kill us too."

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The fury was reflected in his eyes, Stiles knew that Scott could see it. Scott was avoiding looking in his direction. With good reason. Stiles was ready to rip someone open. Anyone, the first person to speak to him. Good thing that person was Jackson.

"Call the cops." Jackson barked. Stiles was just about ready to bark back.

"No!" it was so hard to keep the growl out of his voice.

"What do you mean 'no'?"

"I mean no! Do you want to hear it in Spanish?! Nó! It's not Derek! He's not the one behind this! He was attacked outside! We watched him get taken down! We don't know who it is!" Stiles was beyond holding his tongue as he rounded on Scott. "And you! Why did you tell them that! You know what Derek has been doing for me Scott! I'm not going to let you throw him under the bus like he doesn't mean anything!"

"How do you know it's not Derek?!" Jackson advanced on Stiles. "It doesn't even matter who it was, you need to call your useless dad tell him we're at the school." The second Jackson's hand landed on his shoulder, Stiles couldn't hold it back. He threw the punch and it connected to Jackson's jaw, sending the human boy to the ground where Allison rushed for him.

Everyone's eyes turned to Stiles and he couldn't hold the growl back. "Don't touch me! Don't insult me or my dad! Don't blame everything on Derek when he's been looking for the murderer, same as us!"

He pulled his phone out and dialed 911, only to be told off for prank calling.

Next he tried his dad, only to get his voice mail.

The door rattling startled all five of them.

"Dad, we're at the school. Do you hear me dad? Come to the school. Please." Nails came off the hinges on the door, the desks and chairs rattled with every hit. "The kitchen." Stiles said as he hung up the phone. "The door in the kitchen leads to a stairwell."

"The stairwell only goes up." Scott argued.

"Up is better than here."

And once again, they were off. Into the kitchen and up the stairs to the second floor. They went through every door, looking for an unlocked door. The only one they found was the chemistry classroom. Once inside, they all struggled to quiet their panting. Everyone standing stock still while the growling beast prowled the halls.

The second the beast was far enough away, Scott turned to Jackson. "How many people can fit in your car?"

"Five. If we squeeze and someone sits in someone's lap."

Allison didn't look convinced. "Five!" She whispered, as outraged as she could. "I barely fit in the back!"

"It doesn't matter!" Stiles interrupted. "There's no getting out without drawing attention."

Scott grabbed Stiles arm and dragged him to the back of the class. "How about this." The door in the back of the class. "This leads to the roof. We can go down the fire escape and get into the parking lot in seconds."

Stiles felt a rise in hope, right before no noticed exactly what locked the door. "That's a dead-bolt." Stiles pointed out, but Scott only took seconds to answer.

"The janitor has a key."

Stiles wanted to scowl but he sucked it in. "You mean his body has it."

"You can get it." Scott said, a little desperately. "You can find them by scent. By blood."

"Well that sounds like a terrible idea what else you got?" Stiles wanted to throttle Scott.

"Fine then. I'll get the key." Scott went to push past Stiles, but Stiles stopped him.

"Scott, you won't even know where to look. It's a bad idea! You're human Scott that out there is an Alpha. He's going to kill you and eat you for a late dinner if you don't come to your sense."

"What else are we going to do Stiles?!" Scott's eyes were hard and Stiles cursed himself.

"Fine. I'll get the key." He said loud enough for the whole room to hear. Allison was the first to protest.

"Wait, are you sure about that?"

"Someone has to get the key for us to get out of here." Stiles insisted, pushing Scott towards Allison so they clung to each other. "I've got nothing to lose, not like I got some cute girl to protect or nothing." It was a joke, but Stiles mind went instantly to Derek. Derek who couldn't be dead. Derek who couldn't have died without hearing about what Stiles really felt for him.

"You can't go out there unarmed!" Allison insisted. Stiles wanted to argue but Scott grabbed the long pointer from the chalk board. The pointing white glove on the end looking ridiculous enough to make Stiles roll his eyes as he takes it from Scott.

"What?" Scott argues. "It's better than nothing."

"Well there's got to be something else." Stiles insisted, because with claws or without them, Stiles wanted a weapon. Anything.

"There is." Lydia spoke up for the first time in a long time. Everyone looked at her in confusion when she gestured to the chemicals on the shelf by the door.

"What are we going to do? Throw acid on him?" Stiles growled.

"No." Lydia said, her snobbish attitude coming back full force. "Like a fire bomb. In there is everything you need to make a self-igniting molotov cocktail." And there it was. The deep intellect that Lydia hid from the world. The one that only Stiles recognized a long time ago.

"A self-igniting…" Stiles prompted.

"Molotov. Cocktail." Lydia said in annoyance. Everyone looked at her in surprise except for Stiles, who smirked a bit before shaking his head. "What." Lydia said off handedly. "I read it somewhere."

It didn't take her long to make it either and everyone watched as Jackson handed her each ingredient.

"Lock the door behind me." Stiles sighed as he pulled the door open and left. Before he was gone, he saw Allison hide her face in Scott's shirt, shaking her head as if denying any of this was happening. He felt just a little better when she heard her whisper. "This isn't right. We shouldn't be letting him go out there, whoever it is has already killed four people."

And then the door closed and locked behind him and he was left standing in a dark hallway completely alone hold a self-igniting Molotov cocktail.

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The scent of blood lead Stiles straight to the gym. The janitor's body was there, hanging from wires behind the pull out benches. It took a bit of climbing and struggling to grab the keys, and that was with the threat of the bleachers closing in on him and cutting him to pieces.

When he rushed out of the bleachers, he was face to face with the Alpha.

"Come get me." Stiles whispered as he tossed the fire bomb at the large wolf. When it didn't ignite, Stiles wasn't surprised. He had watched Lydia prepare it, had watched Jackson hand her the wrong ingredient. Well, that asshole just took the term 'asshole' to a new level.

The Alpha's first move was a grab for Stiles' ankle, but he saw it coming. With solid hands on the Alpha's lowered shoulders, Stiles flipped and landed behind the large foreboding wolf.

This isn't Derek. I'm not afraid to hurt him. He hurt Derek, possibly killed Derek. Don't hesitate Stiles. Don't hold back. It was Stiles' turn to rush in.

A solid hit to the Alpha's back had the bigger wolf stumbling forward on all fours, but Stiles didn't stop. A kick to the side sent the beast sprawling. He would putting all of his anger into this moment. All of the times he has held back from hurting one of his friends, he is now getting the chance to let it out.

Before he even realized it, he was wolfed out, his claws, fangs, eyes, and the hair all over his face. He focused his mind on Derek. Watching Derek throw his head back and howl, watching the man smile and play along to his I Spy game, hearing the laugh that was so rare it was beautiful. Derek had to still be alive, Stiles needed to tell him everything, needed to lay his feelings out in the opening. As it was, all of his feelings were bubbling up inside him and turning into hatred, loathing, and anger. When he drew blood from the Alpha, he howled, so loud and strong that it shook the building. It was cut short though when the Alpha slammed into him, dropping Stiles to the ground before it growled in his face and let loose his own howl.

And just like that, the Alpha was gone and Stiles was withering in agony. His bones were on fire, his skin was rough and itchy like sand paper. His teeth ached and he couldn't stop the screams that poured from his mouth like water. Slowly his mind came undone. He was losing himself, he was losing to the wolf, to his instinct.

No! I have to tell him! I have to tell Derek! I can't lose control! I can't keep these feelings bottled up! Derek! Derek! DEREK!

"Derek!"

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The roar was so loud it invaded his mind, cut through his nightmares until he was conscious.

Slowly, Derek sat up, the tender spot on his back and his chest telling him that he had healed, but not completely. It didn't matter. Stiles. That had been Stiles' voice right? That desperate, painful roar. Slowly, Derek got to his feet. He could smell the Alpha and blood. His own and not his own, but he wasn't sure where each scent was. He was still disoriented. It didn't matter though. Stiles called him.

Staggering a bit, he noticed where he was. The front of the school. Slowly he remembered the events that led up to him laying here almost drowning in his own blood. Scott's stupid idea, howling with Stiles, and the Alpha's attack from behind. For how long had he been out? From the healing of his wound, a little over an hour.

Stiles has been faced with the Alpha for a little over and hour?

Slowly, Derek made his way into the school. His sense were all over the place, not all of them working on his command, but he followed his instincts, knowing they would take him to Stiles.

Wincing with every step and holding a hand to his chest while he went up the main staircase, Derek finally heard it. The hard breathing and the rapidly beating heart. Stiles had heard him too.

"Stiles!" Derek's voice broke, but he didn't stop, kept going towards the animal he knew as his friend, as the person he loved. "Stiles where are you?"

Before he could react, something came at him like a bullet, taking him down hard. The back of his skull hit the tile floors with a crack and Derek's eyes lost focus, but he felt the claws digging into his arms.

"D-Der-rek." Stiles had hardly managed to get the words out, but that was okay. He could talk, Stiles knew who Derek was.

"Yeah pup. It's me. It's Derek. Come on pup, regain control. I know you can." Actually, Derek had no idea if Stiles could or not. For a wolf this far gone, only an anchor could get him back. Derek didn't know if Stiles had found his anchor yet or not, but he was about to find out. "Come on pup. What're you thinking about?"

Derek winced when Stiles' hands tightened around his arms, the claws digging in deeper.

"D-Derek." Stiles repeated again, whimpering almost. He smelt the tears before he saw them, and suddenly the grip on his arms was gone. Stiles had backed away, throwing himself off of Derek like he was on fire. "Derek!"

Stiles was crying now, the crystal tears rolling down his face rapidly as Stiles tried to blink them away. The hair was disappearing, the fangs too, but the eyes still glowed a shining yellow. "Stiles." Derek called back as he sat up again, staying on the floor for a while longer.

The younger wolf fell to his knees before he started to crawl slowly towards Derek's form. "I thought you were…" The words broke off, the sentence unfinished as another one started. "The Alpha he…I didn't think that you…I thought I lost…I wouldn't get to say…Derek…"

It was actually sort of cute how Stiles couldn't even get one sentence out, but that thought quickly fell away as Derek felt Stiles' hands come up to his face.

Stiles' hands were rough, callous from lacrosse littered the top pads of his palms and Derek could feel every inch of it run across his scruffy face.

"Derek." Stiles chocked out again, like he couldn't believe it.

And then Stiles did something Derek would have never imaged he'd do. He lunged forward, his lips colliding with Derek's almost violently in their desperation to be together. Stiles tears, the disorientation, and the suddenness of the kiss didn't stop Derek from responding though. He'd waited for this for a while now, dreamed of it really, and here he was, Stiles practically in his lap, cupping his face and kissing him. He wasn't about to squander this amazing opportunity no matter what.

Derek's hand came up of its own accord, settling at the back of Stiles' head and pulling the younger wolf closer as he took control of the kiss. He moved his lips, pulling back a bit only to dive back in for another kiss. Little kisses, one after the other fell on his lips until he started to receive them with a slightly opened mouth, something Stiles couldn't ignore.

Soon, Derek's tongue found its way into Stiles' mouth. Rubbing together erotically before the boys pulled back to drive back in.

The only thing that halted both boys where they sat was the sound of the police sirens.

It broke whatever spell had caught them.

"Crap! My dad!" Stiles cursed as he scrambled up, offering a hand down to help Derek. When Derek took it, a shiver shot up Stiles' spine and Derek couldn't help but notice.

"The Alpha's gone. His scent is everywhere though." Derek spoke up, a slight smirk on his kiss swollen lips. This made Stiles' face pale.

"Derek, Scott told them it was you." Stiles said, quickly and frantically. "They're all going to tell the police Derek! You have to leave! Now! They can't catch you here, you're already healed but there's a hole on your shirt and jacket! Derek, everyone in that room is going to blame it on you and you can't be here when the police comes in."

Derek allowed a look of confusion to pass his face quickly, before it hardened again and he nodded. Without waiting for an invitation, Derek stepped forward into Stiles' personal space and kissed him one more time. An innocent press of lips that warmed Stiles all over. "We are going to talk about this." Derek edged, before moving away and taking off down the hallway.

Stiles stood there for a moment, a slight grin on his face. I hope this means he likes me too, because those kisses could quickly become very very addictive.

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"And you're sure it was Derek."

Sheriff Stilinski walked ahead of them as Stiles and Scott stared at each other.

"Yes."

"No!"

The sheriff looked back at them both. "You might want to start telling the truth here boys because if it was Derek, a warrant will be out for his arrest."

When Scott opened his mouth, Stiles growled at him, his glare icy hot. "It wasn't Derek. We don't know who it was, but it wasn't Derek." Stiles answered once Scott shut his mouth.

John's eyes instantly met his son's. "How do you know it wasn't Derek, if you don't know who it was Stiles."

Stiles frowned. "Look dad, it wasn't Derek. I don't want to convict an innocent man."

"What about the janitor?" Scott asked.

"We haven't found him yet." The sheriff answered tiredly.

"Did you check the bleachers? In the gym? Under them?" Stiles prompted. John nodded, waving his hand around as he spoke.

"Yes. We pulled them out just like you asked."

But there was nothing there. That part was left unsaid. "I'm not making this up." Stiles insisted. John just nodded.

"I know you're not Stiles, I believe you."

"No you don't." Stiles pushed further, he didn't even need to listen to his dad's heart to know that.

"Listen, we're going to search this whole school. We're going to find him. Okay? I promise." This time, John spoke to both of them, looking them each in the eyes for a long moment before being called away.

"I can't believe we survived." Scott breathed after John was gone. Stiles didn't say anything at first, before he shook his head.

"Scott, he's a wolf. He walked right by us in that class room. You don't think he knew exactly where we were?"

Scott looked confused. "Well then why are we still alive? He could have just killed us all."

"That's the point Scott. I don't think he wanted to kill us all."

"Then what did he want Stiles? Why did he call Allison there?"

Stiles shook his head again and sighed before he told Scott what had been in his mind since the cops showed up. "Scott. I think he wants me to do it. He wants me in his pack, but the only way he can have me, is if I get rid of my old pack."

"What do you mean, your old pack?" Scott asked.

Stiles rolled his eyes, trying not to look at Scott at all. "Lydia. Jackson. Allison…you."

Realization lit Scott's eyes before they darkened again. "The Alpha doesn't want to kill us." Scott stated.

"He wants me to do it." Stiles finished. "But that's not even the worst part! When he made me Shift Scott, I wanted to do it! I was going after you! I was going to kill you! Do you know what saved your ass?"

Scott didn't speak, only stared at Stiles until he spoke. "Derek. Derek came, and he grounded me, he kept me from ripping all of you to pieces, and you just want to sell him out like he means nothing."

"Derek's alive?" Scott's eyes widened and fear sprang in his scent and Stiles wanted to punch Scott.

"Yeah Scott. Derek's alive."

There was a moment of silence before Scott's wondering eyes caught sight of an unsuspecting person. Deaton sat on the back of an ambulance, and EMT treating the wounds that Derek had inflicted before this hellish night even began.

Stiles and Scott walked up to him and talked. Deaton seemed so normal, nothing like the Alpha.

And then Scott went to Allison.

Stiles heard it. He didn't want to, he didn't even mean to, but he heard it and he couldn't stop himself from wincing when the final words left Allison's mouth.

"Please don't call."

Guilt crept inside Stiles stomach before he even noticed it. You're the reason the relationship started, and now you are the reason it's over. Way to go Stiles.


	8. Episode Eight: Lunatic

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Eight: Lunatic

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see?"

"I really shouldn't be here. My mom is on a constant state of freak out because of what happened last night at the school."

"Well your mom isn't the Sheriff. There's no comparison, trust me."

"Will you at least tell me what we're doing out here?"

"Yes." Stiles kept a steady pace on the rocky ground, walking ahead of a sulking Scott so he could hide his hand for just a little while longer. "When you're best friend gets dumped-"

"I didn't get dumped." Scott cut in sharply, his glare burning the back of Stiles' neck. "We're taking a break."

"Alright, well." Stiles conceded. "When your best friend gets told by his girlfriend that their taking a break," Stiles turned around to face Scott, holding the hand he had wrapped around the neck of a bottle of Jack Daniel's up so that his friend had a clear view. "You get your best friend drunk."

The thought had been a good one at first. When they started in on the bottle, they started to talk. Not unusual really, drunken people love to let emotional inhibitions go. Stiles just hadn't expected this.

"Dude…she's just one. One girl. But I know it man, she's my girl. She's the woman I love."

Stiles watched as Scott laid back on the rocky ground, eyes staring up at the almost-full moon. He'd done his own fair bit of drinking tonight, but getting drunk just wasn't happening. Wolf's high metabolism breaks down the alcohol before it affects the brain looks like I'm never getting drunk again.

"There are more fish in the sea Scott." Stiles said with a slight smile. He heard Scott attempt to growl, only to end up gurgling.

"You have…you have like no right to say that. How long have you been in love with…the girl with red hair?" Scott stumbled through the sentence, but the topic made Stiles stiffen. That's right. Lydia Martin.

"Strawberry blond actually." Stiles rattled it off like a mathematician would correct a kindergartener's addition chart. "Green eyes, five foot three." None of that actually mattered to him now though. Even as he stated the facts he'd memorized by heart so long ago, the only thing he could think about was the feel of soft but slightly chapped lips against his own as a bit of stubble rubbed against his face. Derek filled his mind so completely that the only other thing there, was the guilt over Scott and Allison's 'break'.

"Yeah. Lydia right? You liked her since preschool! Allison though, she's more than a like. She's a love man. She's my soul mate, I know it. We're going to be together in the end, you'll see man."

Stiles nodded, thinking about the way it felt to be around Derek. When he'd heard Scott use the word 'mate' the image of a smiling Derek popped into his mind so suddenly it started him. Mate. Soul mate. Do wolves mate for life? Is it like Twilight or those stupid romantic werewolf books, does every wolf have one mate for their whole existence? He didn't know. And to be honest he didn't care. Fate could do what it wanted because Stiles was prepared to do just the same.

"I'm gonna get her back man. I know I'm going to. Because me and her, we belong together. We're meant to be. She's my Zing, my it, my one and only. She's the love of my life dude."

Stiles only nodded. His mind was enthralled in misty green eyes. He had kissed Derek last night and Derek had kissed him back. That in itself had to mean everything. On top of the words that Derek had spoken as he left: "We are going to talk about this." Stiles sure hoped so. He hadn't had the chance to see Derek since the night before. His dad had kept the leash tight until tonight when he managed to sneak away with a bottle of Jack, and he'd headed straight for Scott's, not the Hale Mansion.

Derek would wait for him that kiss said enough for him to believe that at least, but Scott was heartbroken. Scott needed him more.

"She's my heart man."

Stiles peered down at his friend. The fire they'd created in one of the park trashcans blazing and highlighting his frowning face. Stiles swallowed down the guilt as he nodded.

"Look man, as much as being broken up hurts, being alone is way worse. You're not alone man, you got me. I'll look out for you."

Stiles frowned deeply when Scott's eyes lowered to a glare and the smell of anger came from the wasted human.

"You'll look out for me? Since when are you looking out for me? It's your fault Allison left! Your stupid secret that I have to protect! Her family is nice Stiles! I met them! If they hunt people like you, they do it because you deserve it!" the anger made Scott's words come out clearer than his earlier rambling and their meaning hit Stiles like a hammer to the stomach. He didn't know what part of that rant was worse, the 'It's your fault' or the 'People like you'.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, a hand shot out, reaching for the bottle of Jack Scott had set on a rock in front of them.

"Well," The human with darker skin smirked at both Stiles and Scott, eyes lingering on Scott's state of drunken anger. "Look at the two little bitches getting they drink on."

Scott was livid, a silent anger not found in most drunks. "Give it back." His voice was hard, Stiles would admit that, but it wouldn't convince the bigger of the two thugs of anything.

"What's that little man?" Just as Stiles had guessed, the older thug was not impressed. His smirking face fell into an expression of disbelieving anger.

"I think he wants a drink." The shorter one spoke up, his eyes dancing with malice in the flames of the fire. Stiles was about ready to beat them both down. Whatever shock Scott's comment had caused was ebbing away, guilt and fury replacing it. He wouldn't direct it at his drunk friend, but these thugs were a different story.

Scott beat him to the punch though, standing up on wobbly legs to glare at the jerk who took their Jack. "I want the bottle."

Stiles wasn't liking the way either man was eyeing Scott. Stiles could protect himself, he was a wolf, he wasn't scared of human thugs, but Scott was a different matter. Scott was human too, a younger, shorter, smaller human than their opponents. "Scott, maybe we should just go."

"You brought me here to get me drunk Stiles." Scott sounded stone sober as he glared up at the bigger men. "I'm not drunk yet." I beg to differ.

Stiles saw the men looking equal parts amused and annoyed, so when Scott made to step forward, Stiles cut him off, standing toe to toe with the man who took their bottle. "Give me the bottle of Jack." Stiles interjected, growling into his words slightly so the man got the hint. What ever since of self-preservation that the man had must have been working that night because without another word, he handed it to Stiles, stepping back a bit.

Stiles handed it back to Scott, only to just when his friend aimed and threw it at the other guy with lighter skin. It missed, but it was the thought that counted. The man advanced forward at Scott and Stiles panicked, letting his wolf go a bit due to the full moon tomorrow, Stiles growled at the men until they took off running.

When he looked back, Scott was already making his way out of the park, stumbling a bit as he went. With a deep sigh, Stiles followed behind his friend. "Scott. Scott! The break up isn't that bad, it's not the end of the world! Scott!"

But Scott wouldn't listen, instead he headed for the passenger's side door and ripped it open, Stiles cringing at the mistreatment of his jeep, before sliding into the seat.

God damnit. The guilt was going to end up eating Stiles alive before the Alpha could.

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The police was crawling all over the school the next day. Even his dad was there. Though everybody talked about the break in, no one knew who the kids that had been inside the school were. Thank god for the protection of minors. Derek was a main suspect in the murder cases now, since his body wasn't found even though both Scott and Stiles had vouched for the fact that Derek had been hurt by the killer. Everyone else, Jackson, Lydia, Allison, they had all blamed it on Derek, all the way through Stiles outraged cries of indignation for Derek. There was nothing he could do, Derek was wanted for questioning, if not worse.

Stiles thumped his head against the wall as he sat in the hall outside the principal's office, waiting patiently for his dad to come out.

When the Sheriff came out with a Deputy, and a couple men in suits in toll, Stiles stood and waited to be noticed. He hadn't strained his hearing this time, finding it only slightly hard to control with the moon so close to being full. He needed Derek tonight, but he didn't even know where the older wolf was. Stiles could feel the pin pricks under his skin and he swallowed down the feeling.

"Don't you have a test to get to?" Those were his father's first words to him, but Stiles ignored it in favor of more pressing question.

"What's going on, did you find Derek yet?" He was confused about how to feel about that question. A part of him wanted the older wolf found and another part hoped no one would ever find him again. Derek had been through enough in Stiles' opinion.

"I'm working on it. You, go take your test."

Stiles couldn't do that though. He couldn't sit on the sidelines while his dad took center field without knowing the rules of the game. The Alpha wanted him, no one else. "Look dad. Listen to me."

"Go." The Sheriff interrupted, only to roll his eyes as Stiles steam rolled through his prepared speech.

"This is really important okay? You have to be careful tonight. Especially tonight." He was scared for himself and his dad. He was scared for Derek and his friends, he was scared for this town, because if Stiles couldn't control himself there would be two rabid killers on the loose. Just remember all of the things Derek taught you. Just remember Derek.

"Stiles I'm always careful." It was such a carefree response that it set Stiles' teeth on edge.

"Dad, you've never dealt with this kind of thing before, okay? At least not like this."

"I know." His dad conceded. The sheriff's eyes strayed back to the Deputy and the men in suits. "Which is why I brought in people who have. State detective."

The second the blond man looked at Stiles, he knew. Hunter. The man smelled like Allison's home a mixture of wolf's bane and gunpowder that was unmistakable.

Stiles wanted to scream. To howl, to give into the instinct to kill that man that threatened him and his pack of one. If they found Derek, that man right over there would kill him without a glance backwards to check who had witnessed it. But he was stuck. He was a teenager whose father refused to listen to reason, and even if the Sheriff did, Stiles couldn't even tell the whole truth.

"Go take your test." John said and Stiles wanted to explode but he had control. At least for now he had enough control.

Stiles left without another word. Not really knowing how he would get through one of Harris' tests with all of these things filling his mind. Turned out, he didn't have to.

Scott stormed out of the classroom like a madman with the hounds of hell on his heels. Stiles was right behind him, his friend's erratic heart and heavy labored breathing making the wolf feel protective. He found Scott in the showers of the locker room, the water running over him as he struggled to breath.

Stiles reached into Scott's discarded backpack for the inhaler Scott's mom kept there in case Scott had lapses back into the severe state it had been before. He handed it over without a word and Scott, confused but grateful took it. One puff and Scott could breathe again, though they were harsh closed off breathes. Stiles knew instantly what it was.

"I was having an asthma attack?" Scott asked in disbelief. His asthma had been so much better due to his regular exercise.

"No. You were having a panic attack." Stiles clarified. Then added on almost like an afterthought. "But thinking you were having an asthma attack actually helped stop the panic attack. Irony." He sung the last word a bit sarcastically.

"How'd you know to do that?" Scott asked between deep breathes. Stiles felt himself pale a bit before nodding through his cluttered thoughts.

"I used to get them after my mom died." The guilt for that one still hung heavy on his heart but he ignored it for this guilt. Scott's part in Stiles' situation. Scott shouldn't really even have anything to do with this, but here he was. Getting a panic attack over werewolves, murderers, hunters, heartbreak, and lacrosse. When did their lives turn into this? "Not fun huh?"

Scott shook his head before he looked around, as if searching for a way to explain. When he found it, he spoke. "I looked at her and it was like somebody hit me in the ribs with a hammer."

Stiles nodded along, fighting past all of his own emotions and struggles so he could be here for Scott. This was his fault, the least he could do was be here. "Yeah, it's called heartbreak. About two billion songs written about it."

"I can't stop thinking about her." Scott looked like he was physically in pain. His shoulders slumped forward protectively and his eye brows perpetually furrowed.

"Well, you could think about this. Her dad's a werewolf hunter. I'm a werewolf. So…it was bound to become an issue. I mean, it's not like you could really choose between us." Scott's face was so unimpressed and bordering crewel that Stiles felt that yes, Scott could and would choose between them if it came to that. And Allison wouldn't be the one left standing alone. "Okay, that wasn't helpful." Stiles tried to think of a way to defuse the tension between them, but nothing came up, so he settled on honesty. "Look dude, you got dumped. It's supposed to suck. But love comes again you know, many times over sometimes. You just gotta, I don't know man, wait for it."

Scott shook his head again before pinning Stiles with hard eyes. "Stiles, you've been in love with Lydia Martin since you were in preschool. Love doesn't just come again."

Before Stiles could correct his best friend, Scott pushed past him and back towards his locker to change. Stiles just sighed as he thought about what his friend had said. He had been in love with Lydia. The only girl he'd ever actually loved in his life, but that part of him was dead. Lydia was just a very pretty girl with a brain, Derek…well Derek was so much more.

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The day did nothing but plummet from there. Stiles was put into First Line on a probationary basis and Scott was made Co-Captain. Usually, first line wouldn't be too bad, but the full moon was tonight and the Alpha was on their heels. So Stiles was almost struggling to keep a stable sense of control. Not to mention the smell of jealousy from Jackson, and anger and heartbreak from Scott. His friend had been strangely quiet all day, it was beginning to get scary.

He should have seen it coming. Especially with how close Jackson and Allison had been getting. He'd caught sight of them at the lunch room time and time again, sitting against the lockers after class talking. It wasn't like he didn't know Lydia enough to take a guess as to how she would get back at Jackson for how close he was getting to Allison. He just wasn't expecting Scott to allow it. In fact, he was so sure that Scott wouldn't fall for it. That he'd stay true to both Stile's feelings for Lydia (Gone as they might be now) and his own love for Allison. God did it hurt to be proven wrong.

Scott kissed Lydia. Or Lydia kissed Scott, whatever. Either way, it didn't matter.

Scott was supposed to be his best friend. The one person he trusted. The one dude who would never betray him, but that one act had broken down all of that.

Scott kissed Lydia. The one girl Stiles had ever cared about, the one person Stiles felt something for. Sure, now there was Derek. Stiles knew what he felt for Derek and he also knew what he didn't feel for Lydia anymore, but Scott didn't. For all Scott knew, Stiles could still be in love with the strawberry blond deviant who plays people like musical instruments. And that is what pissed Stiles off more than anything.

So close to the full moon and Scott was playing with fire.

Not to mention the episode during practice when Scott took down Danny.

Stiles was so close to snapping his control and killing his own friend that he couldn't help but run to the one person who would keep him sane. The one presence he felt peaceful with.

"Derek!"

Standing at the porch to the Hale house, Stiles couldn't keep the howl from joining the name. So close to the full moon, his wolf so close to the surface. He was surprised he had kept himself in check so far, but not for much longer. Stiles felt himself shifting, the half human half wolf form coming forth without being called. His mind was slowly going as well, but then there was Derek.

"Stiles!"

He hadn't seen the drop kick to the chest coming either but that was fine. He needed this after all and Derek knew it, he was sure. They fought for a while, exchanging blows and hurting each other again and again only to have every injury heal in seconds. Derek was brutal, not like the usual training sessions they had together but Stiles was so grateful for that.

When Derek sent a kick to his solar plexus, Stiles dropped his guard, relaxed his stance and allowed the hit to throw him off his feet and into the side of the Hale House. The pain was instant but Stiles reveled in it. The hurt was finally on the outside now, finally somewhere where it would heal instead of just inside his heart. He heard and smelled Derek coming closer before he actually saw him.

Stiles was human now, laying against the side of the house like a rag doll. He was sure his shoulder was dislocated, but Derek would help with that he was sure.

"Stiles?" The older wolf sounded so hesitant, so wounded himself that Stiles felt bad for coming here. Derek was the only person other than his father who wouldn't hurt him on purpose and here he was, making the man do exactly that.

"I'm okay now. You gotta get my shoulder back in place though, before it heals like this." Stiles said with his raspy voice. He'd been growling and howling during the entire show down that he was sure his throat was just as wounded as his body, but just like everything else it would heal.

Derek didn't hesitate to do what needed to be done. He took Stiles by the waist to help him to his knees and then the older wolf popped his shoulder back into the socket, allowing Stiles to scream and sink sharp teeth into his own shoulder without even flinching.

They stayed like that for a good while, leaning against each other on their knees next to the burnt remains of the Hale house. There was a metaphor in there somewhere but Stiles couldn't bring himself to analyze it just yet.

"You know I thought I was going to kill him tonight. I really did."

Derek didn't say anything as his rough hand came up to rub gently at the back of Stiles' neck. He brought Stiles head to his shoulder again, leaning his temple against Stiles' and laying a soft kiss on the pale freckled cheek.

"He just…I'm the one that got bitten Derek. I'm the one who is something completely different but he, he's the one that changed. Does that make sense? The old Scott, he would never…" Stiles sighed before he fell back, sitting back on his heels and looking up at Derek. "How do I get him back Derek? The friend that used to play hours of video games with me over Skype or used to sneak over my house just because his mom had the night shift at the hospital. And if I even have him back, can I trust him again? He keeps breaking my trust at every turn, being a shitty friend. What the hell happened to us?"

Derek didn't answer, but Stiles wasn't expecting one.

"We should get going." It was all the bigger wolf said before he pushed himself up and walked back into the Hale House. Stiles took only a second before he followed behind.

"There's a full moon tonight right? You think I'll be controlled enough tonight?"

Derek turned and gave Stiles an apprising look. "Stiles, you took to being a wolf like you were born into it. You have few setbacks and you have, as far as I can tell, a pretty solid anchor. I think you're all set on control for now." Honestly, it warmed Stiles all over to hear how much trust Derek placed in him. "Maybe you shouldn't go see him tonight."

Stiles paused in the remains of the den before looking over at Derek. "What?"

"Scott. The human boy, maybe you shouldn't go see him tonight. I'm not saying don't get payback for whatever he did. He hurt you, but maybe not tonight. I trust you Stiles, your control is better than most born wolves, but we really shouldn't push it."

Stiles couldn't help but smile a little. Derek could read him even if he didn't say anything. "How'd you know I was going to go see him?"

Derek's shrug was forced, Stiles could see it but he didn't comment, just waited for the older wolf to talk. "You aren't the type to leave something like that alone. Not if you wanted to save any part of the relationship you still have with the human boy."

Should I be flattered or freaked out that he knows me so well by now?

"Okay." Stiles conceded. After all, it wasn't like spending the full moon with Derek was a punishment, the full moons of the past couple of months have actually been slightly fun, if we don't count the marginally deadly encounters with the Alpha and Hunters. It's the hormones I swear. Derek is just too big a presence in my mind.

"You know, I've wondered in the past, all of those heroes in story books that go to another world or become something more…" Stiles paused, glancing up into the quickly darkening sky. He could feel Derek just a couple of steps away looking at him questioningly, urging him to continue. "Why do they always try so hard to go back to normal?"

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The full moon brought with it another kill for the Alpha. The Sheriff was out in the woods where the body was found so Stiles and Derek hid inside Stiles' room, laying side by side on the bed despite the size being a bit too small for them both.

"I heard there was a cure." Derek stated suddenly into the mild tense silence. Their bodies were thundering but they had already expelled their energy tonight. The fight before and the one not too long ago assuring that they could keep human form for the rest of the night.

"What, you mean for Lycanthropy?" Stiles snorted back in amusement, not really believe it. He felt more than saw Derek's nod in response.

"You kill the Alpha that bit you. That's what they said."

This time Stiles out right laughed. "Impossible. Doesn't killing an Alpha transfer the power? Instead of being cured, I'd just turn into Mr. Pack-leader and I am hardly fit to be the leader of a blog post much less other werewolves. I would end up just like the Alpha we have now, crazy and lonely." Stiles concluded, certain that everything he said is true. Derek remained silent and Stiles suddenly got a thought. "It has to be one of us though…doesn't it?"

It wasn't a question, not really since he already knew the answer.

"He killed Laura." It was all Derek said but it was reason enough and Stiles actually did understand. Derek wouldn't allow the Alpha to die at the hands of hunters, or even any other wolves. This was Derek's fight, but it was also Stiles. The Alpha had bitten him after all.

"So do you want to become an Alpha?" Stiles asked tentatively. He was pretty sure he knew the answer to this one too but he needed to hear it.

"No." Derek sounded so firm about it that Stiles winced, still waiting for the rest of the sentence. "But this is my territory, my family's territory, my sister he killed, my friend he changed, my town he is terrorizing. I don't think there is any other way to end it but that one."

Stiles understood it, all of it. So he said, "Okay. I'll be there. When you become an Alpha, I'll be your Beta. We'll protect each other." He'd never been surer of himself in his life.

When Derek's hand reached for his in between them, Stiles intertwined their fingers and smiled a bit. Everything could be going to shit, and it would be okay. He had Derek by his side.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~~! (Bonus! Stiles and Scott fight! Lets get ready to rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrumble!)

"Come one Stiles, I was a jerk, I know I was okay? It was Allison, it was lacrosse, it was Jackson even but it wasn't you man. Please talk to me!"

Stiles was having a hard time ignoring the pounding on his front door. Apparently so was his dad.

"Kid, either you talk to him or I'm going to let him in to talk to you. You two are best friends. Is there really no way to fix it?" his dad's eyes were annoyed even if his tone was pleading. Scott had been at it for half an hour now and Stiles was sure he'd give up sooner or later. It still didn't stop his head from pounding along with Scott's fist on the door.

"Dad, he broke my trust, broke the bro-code, and frankly, he broke my heart. We may never be fixed again." He was exaggerating, he knew it, his dad knew it, Scott probably even knew it but then again, it was the boys fault.

"Stiles, you guys bonded over the destruction of a kindergarten sand castle. You've forgiven each other every step of the way, remember when you accidentally broke his arm? Or when you scratched up his mom's car and blamed it on him? Or when you stole his phone to take pictures and broke it knowing Mellissa couldn't afford a new one? I think all you two need is to talk it out, whatever it is, and it can't be that bad." When the Sheriff walked away from Stiles' door, Stiles knew exactly what his dad was about to do.

"No! Dad don't you dare open that door! Dad I'm serious! Dad!" but it was too late. He heard the front door open and Scott throw the Sheriff a careless greeting before footsteps thundered up the stairs. Stiles scrambled to close his door before Scott got to it, locking it securely just as the pounding started again closer this time.

"Stiles, I'm sorry. For everything! Throwing Derek under the bus, trying to push him away from you, ignoring you, kissing Lydia, screaming at you I'm sorry! Come on dude, please? Let me talk to you, hear me out! I mean, I know I didn't really go about it the right way but I'm sort of jealous of you man! You're a freakin Were-"

The door opened suddenly, slamming into Scott's nose as the boy reeled back, only to be pulled forward hard by Stiles' strength. Scott came stumbling in blindly, almost ending up on the floor if Stiles hadn't caught him.

"Don't say that stuff out loud Scott! You think my dad can't hear you?" Stiles growled into Scott's face, taking a slight bit of satisfaction when fear tinged both Scott's scent and face.

"I'm sorry, I just- I need to say these things Stiles. I've been a shitty friend, I know that. A werewolf hunter girlfriend-"

"Ex-girlfriend." Stiles cut in, only to be ignored completely as Scott barreled on.

"Should not come between me and my werewolf best friend. Stiles man, she was the first girl I ever felt this way about. I mean, you always had Lydia but Allison was the only one for me, it was sudden and it was everything and-"

"And you Kissed Lydia, Scott. Capital K. You want me to go and make out with Allison? You want me to be that friend, you want to feel what it's like?" Stiles was angry, pissed beyond words that Scott would come all the way here just to remind him of everything, all of it. Worst of all, he expecting a simple 'sorry' to be enough for every mistake. Well it wasn't.

Scott cowered back like he had been hit and the sight of him actually thrilled Stiles in a twisted way.

"You left me on the night of my first full moon completely by myself when I asked you for your help Scott. Instead of me, you chose Allison. You've chosen Allison almost every step of the way and even when I was the only thing left, even if I was the only one who still stood there by your side like an idiot, you go behind my back and kiss the only girl I had ever felt anything for? And you're sorry? All you can say to me, is SORRY?" Stiles was shaking with his rage, his eyes flashing and his fangs dropping down like anchors.

Scott looked terrified. He looked like he was going to pass out any second and Stiles couldn't bring himself to feel bad. Not now, not after that.

"Stiles, I just wanted to be better…" Scott replied in a small, trembling voice.

"Better than what Scott? Better than me? Well you always were. Even since preschool, I could never measure up and you even had Asthma! I was always just the one along for the ride man."

"Not better than you!" Scott stood up a little straighter, looking Stiles in the eye even as they flashed the tell-tale golden yellow. "You were the only one who didn't judge me, the only one who sat with me at lunch, you were there when my dad walked out, you were the best there ever was, I could never even strive to be better than you Stiles." Suddenly his voice fell away and his twisted his hands, paying with his fingers.

Stiles stood back, eyes narrowed and arms crossed over his chest. Scott needed to explain. Before Stiles forgave everything and accepted his best friend back, Scott needed to explain why.

"You always had such an easy time making friends. Your father loves you, and your mother loved you too, but my dad walked out and left us. You became a freakin' werewolf Stiles. A werewolf, a legendary creature, you're practically an urban myth. You've always been awesome, I've just been trying to catch up. I'm sorry for what I did. I really am, you're my only honest friend. I got caught up in first line, in having the girl, being popular…I worked so hard to get better but I still needed your help to meet the girl of my dreams." Scott looked like a kicked puppy and finally, Stiles started to feel the sting of guilt for it.

"Scott." Stiles breathed out the name like a sigh of frustration. Yeah, Scott was a dick, but he was Stiles' best friend. Unfortunately. "Man, you aren't going to get any more second chances…"

Scott's head popped up at his words, the implication of what they meant catching on quickly to the normally slow boy. "Does that mean you-"

"Yeah. For now yeah. Besides I got something to tell you about Lydia."

Scott's brows furrow but he nods. Then he smiles and rushes to throw his arms around Stiles. Squeezing Stiles' lean form once before letting go. "No more ditching you, no more betraying. I promise."


	9. Episode Nine: Wolf's Bane

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Nine: Wolf's Bane

Stiles' ears were ringing with the sirens of the police cars he knew were chasing Derek. It had been such a stupid mistake! They had the Alpha in their sights, they were right on his tail and then came the Hunters. Shots were fired instantly and the police was called about the gun shots and when they spotted Derek, Stiles was pushed away.

"Get to the car!" Derek had shouted.

"It's at the hospital Derek!"

The older wolf's blue eyes glowed as he glared. Tossing the keys at Stiles who caught them easily. "Then run fast!"

When he did find Derek's Camaro, he had also found Scott, waiting outside the hospital for his mother's shift to end. One look at Stiles and Scott was in the passenger seat of the Camaro with his phone in his hand telling his mother that Stiles would drive him home. Stiles didn't argue, simple took off towards the sounds of the sirens. Along the way they picked up a Hunter tail. He even knew who the tail was. Kate Argent.

The police radio he snagged from his father months ago let him know exactly where Derek was and how to get to him, so that's where Stiles was headed, only sparing a second of thought when their pursuer didn't follow. Still, it didn't matter, Stiles needed to get to Derek before the Hunters or the cops did.

It was almost perfect timing when they caught up to Derek while he was being shot at by Chris Argent.

Scott pushed the door open and scrambled into the back seat while Stiles kept his eyes on the road, waiting for Derek to get in. When the older wolf was in the Camaro, Stiles took off like a rocket.

"What part of 'lay low' don't you understand?!" Scott yelled while Derek slammed an open hand on the dashboard.

"Damn it! I had him!"

"The Alpha?" Scott asked from the back seat, pushing himself between the front seats to look from Stiles to Derek.

"Yes! He was right in front of me and the freaking Hunters showed up! Then the freaking police!" Derek fumed in the passenger's seat, looking around like he couldn't settle on one thing to focus on.

"Derek, they were just doing their jobs." Stiles could feel the glare Derek sent him, but he kept his focus on the road.

"Yeah." Derek snorted. "Thanks to someone who decided to make me the most wanted fugitive in the state!" His glare went from Stiles to Scott, who sat back with a wince.

"Hey, I said I was sorry, can we seriously get passed that? I made a dumbass mistake, I get it." Scott muttered, but both the wolves in the car ignored it. Scott had made his apologizes days ago. Stiles had accepted, and their relationship even out, turning into an uneasy shadow of what it had been before. Even Derek had sat and listened as Scott apologized, though the bigger wolf had only nodded silently.

"Alright, alright. Can we focus here! Last time Derek spoke to Laura she was close to figuring something out. What was it Derek?" Stiles glanced at Derek for a moment, taking in his distress, his anxiety, and his frustration."

Derek's eyes went from Stiles to Scott and back again, but Stiles only snorted in annoyance while in the back seat, Scott groaned. "Derek, I know I haven't been the most trustworthy bastard in this situation, but can we please start trying to fix this thing? The Alpha is a threat to the whole town and Stiles, my mom, and yeah okay, Allison too are in danger. There would be no reason for me to betray you guys now."

Derek didn't really look impressed and Stiles wasn't going to chime in with anything, so with a brief tilt of his head, Derek started in with the explanation. "The first was a guy named Harris."

That caught both Scott and Stiles by surprise. "Our chemistry teacher?" Stiles asked staring at Derek in disbelief. "Why him?"

Derek sighed and rolled his eyes. "I don't know yet!"

"What was the second?" Scott hedged from the back.

At this, Derek scrambled for his pocket, pulling out a piece of paper and opening it up. "This. It's some kind of symbol." The second Scott's eyes landed on it, both Derek and Stiles felt his pulse rise.

"What?" Derek asked, sharing a glance with Stiles before they both looked at Scott who pulled further into the back seat. "You've seen this before?"

"I've seen it…" Scott edged with a guilty swallow. "On a necklace."

Stiles took his eyes off the road to stare Scott down, grabbing Derek's hand and putting it on the steering wheel so Derek could focus on driving while Stiles tried to get Scott to talk. It didn't take very long before Scott swore under his breath and grit his teeth. "Allison's necklace."

They all swore as Stiles turned back to the road focusing on driving. Derek's hand fell to his leg but he didn't complain as silence pushed its way into the Camaro. Stiles dropped Scott off with a nod goodbye before he drove the Camaro to the Hale house.

"Do you think we can get Scott to get the necklace from Allison?" Stiles asked quietly, not moving from the Camaro though he did turn it off.

Derek groaned in frustration. "Stiles, I'm more worried about why one of Laura's clue was Allison Argent's necklace. What was Laura doing here after all these years away? What was she so close to figuring out?"

Derek's heavy breaths reflected the frustration just as much as his scent did. Stiles did the only thing he could think of. He undid his seat belt and leaned over to press his lips to Derek's cheek. He wasn't surprised when Derek jerked in response.

"Derek, we'll figure this out. You aren't in this alone anymore remember? We'll get the necklace from Allison and put the pieces together. The why, the how, what, when, where, everything. We'll figure it out."

Stiles was actually surprised when he felt Derek start to relax.

"Yeah. I know." Without warning, Derek's hand came to the back of Stiles' neck and the awkward wolf was pulled into a chaste kiss. Stiles couldn't help smiling against Derek's lips before they both pulled away. "Come on then, I'll walk you back home. The cops will be looking for the Camaro and your dad's kind of leading the search party."

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"This is going to be impossible I hope you know that."

Yeah, Stiles did know, but they didn't have any other chose really, so…

"Why don't you just ask her if you can borrow it?" It sounded so stupid even as it came out but Stiles had to push. This was about more than just wanting both Derek and himself safe, this was about stopping the murders in Beacon Hills and keeping the whole town safe.

Scott rolled his eyes. "How?"

Stiles didn't miss a beat. "It's easy. Just say 'Hey, Allison. Can I borrow your necklace? To see if there's anything on it? Or in it? That could lead us to an Alpha werewolf in order to keep the town and my werewolf best friend safe? You included?'."

"Stiles." Scott interrupted. "You're not helping."

"Look." Stiles was at a loss to be honest. He wasn't even sure if Allison and Scott were still friends, but this was all about priorities. "Why don't you just talk to her?"

Scott looked miserable and Stiles felt for him. "She won't talk to me." They walk through the halls trying to keep their voices down, but no one is paying attention. Not surprising or unusual. "What if she only takes it off in the shower or something?"

"That's why you need to ease back into it okay? Get back on her good side, remind her of the good times. Then you ask for the necklace." Stiles caught the scent before he really registered the look on Scott's face, but in an instant he knew exactly what was running through his friend's mind. He slapped Scott's arm and grit the accusation out. "You're thinking about her in the shower aren't you?"

Scott sighed and looked away in guilt and Stiles huffed in frustration. He should have known Scott wouldn't completely change, even after the apologies. But this he could deal with, it was just normal teenage hormones.

"Stay focused okay? Get the necklace, me and Derek get the Alpha, you may even get her back. In that order. Got it?"

Stiles backed away, heading for first period as Scott nodded his head along like a puppy.

Stiles felt grateful for a second. Scott was willing to help, they were going to be okay and their friendship would withstand this little werewolf test. At least, he hoped it would, he really liked Scott.

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"Jackson thinks I'm a werewolf!"

Stiles reeled back at the sudden onslaught and it actually took a moment before the words registered, but when they did, Stiles was on the FreakOut train right alongside Scott.

"What?!"

"Jackson knows about werewolves and he thinks I'm one! Stiles he said he knew what I was and told me to get whatever it was for him too so he could be one or he would tell Allison everything!" Scott's eyes were wide and panicked and Stiles could feel his own panic set in.

"How did he find out?! Did he say it out loud? Did he say the word Werewolf? Did he say 'I know you're a Werewolf'?"

"No." Scott bit out. "But he implied it freaking clearly."

Stiles tried to breathe through the panic so he could hold onto his tenuous control. He was pretty much on the edge of one of his famous panic attacks until something accrued to him. "Wait! Maybe it's not as bad as it seems. He thinks you're the werewolf. He doesn't have any proof, he has it wrong, and who would even believe him anyways?"

Scott's expression told Stiles just how much the human wanted to hit him. "How about Allison's father?"

And now Stiles was over the edge of panic. "Okay, this is bad."

"I need to know what to do Stiles! I'm not even what he thinks I am, how am I going to convince him of that if he'll just think I'm lying?" Scott was talking but Stiles was already too far gone into his own mind.

"Okay, does he know about Allison's father?"

"I don't know." Scott sighed.

Stiles was already running ideas through his head, but he couldn't seem to settle on just one. "I have another idea but it's going to take some time to finesse though."

"We have that game tonight." Scott reminded him. "It's the quarter finals and it's your first game."

Stiles rolled his neck and groaned. He knew already that he wasn't going to be making that game one way or another. "I know, I know. Look, you have a plan for Allison yet?"

Scott shook his head and shrugged. "She's in my next class."

Not exactly what Stiles wanted to hear, but he'd take it. "Alright. Get the necklace." He slapped at his friend's chest before making his way out. He needed to trust that Scott would get this done, because Stiles really needed to figure out how he was going to pull his plan off.

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Everything was slowly falling apart. Jackson spent all day trying to antagonize Scott using Allison and Stiles was forced to bear witness. Jackson's monologue about what he would do to Allison and his break up with Lydia Martin by text. He was so glad that Scott couldn't hear Jackson, though Stiles was forced to give him some tidbits when Scott pushed.

Stiles had told Scott to steel the necklace since they weren't going to get it any other way, but he wasn't sure how he expected his best friend to do that.

The best part of his day came when he got home. Walking directly into his house he could smell Derek, the scent calming his fried nerves and reminding him with more certainty that he wasn't in this alone either.

Stiles rushed up the stairs, taking them two at a time to get to his room quicker. Once there he looked around for Derek only to find the older wolf behind the door.

He didn't notice his father calling out his name, but he did notice that when he called out Derek's, the wolf's eyes turned panicked he put a finger up to his lips before glaring and pointing out the open door. Stiles realized what he did when he heard his father coming closer.

"Dad!" He called out, coming to the door and blocking the way in with his body.

"What'd you say?" Sheriff John Stilinski was not stupid on his worst days, and today was not even a bad day, so he'd caught what his son had said, he was just willing to give the kid an out if he wanted to take it. John had been edgy about what relationship Stiles and Derek Hale shared ever since the night at the school that led to Derek becoming a prime suspect in the murder cases around Beacon Hills. Still, he wasn't ready to have any kind of conversation with his son regarding any of that.

"I said..yo dad." Stiles had guilt all over his face and he knew his dad could call bullshit at any moment, which is why he was endlessly grateful with when man didn't.

John shrugged before starting to speak. "Hey, listen, I have something I've got to take care of but…um…I'm going to be there tonight." Stiles looked confused, which prompted his dad to elaborate. "I mean, your first game."

Yeah, my first game that I'm not even going to. Stiles thought bitterly, but managed to keep a straight face as he lied to his dad. "Oh yeah, my first game. That's great! Awesome…ugh. Good." Oh god, this conversation was like an admittance of guilt or something. It was a confection to every lie he'd ever told his father since this whole werewolf thing started. Good thing his father either chose to ignore or just didn't pick up on any of it.

John smiled though, it was such a fatherly thing that Stiles winced on the inside. "I'm very happy for you." John said, "And I'm very proud of you."

Oh my god! Just lock me in a coffin of Nails! It would me so much less painful than this conversation! Lay on the thick coating of guilt to it, why not. "Yeah!" Stiles said instead. "Me too. I'm happy and proud. Of myself." For fucking everything up and failing at catching one damn Alpha, and lying and getting into trouble and making everyone worry…I have nothing to be proud of.

The conversation went in circles after that, so when John came in for a hug, Stiles was more than happy to shut the hell up and hug it out.

When his dad left, Stiles had to take a deep breath and sighed heavily before he pushed his door open again to face Derek.

The second he had the door closed, Derek had him held against it. One hand was fisted on the front of stiles jacket while the other cupped the back of his neck. He wasn't even aware of what was happening as Derek laid multiple little kisses on his lips.

"Don't. Say. One. Word." Derek said, punctuating each one with a kiss. Stiles honestly didn't mine but the sarcasm slipped out of him like water from the leaky faucet.

"What." Stiles managed to pull back enough to grin. "Like: 'Hey dad, Derek Hale's in my room. Bring your gun.'?" Derek's growl in reply was actually kind of sexy, but he did pull back to stare Stiles in the face.

"You smelt like guilt. Regret. Sadness. I just didn't-" Stiles stopped him with a light kiss before smiling a little wider.

"Hey, no feeling guilty in here Derek. If I'm harboring your fugitive ass it's my house, my rules. Alright?" Derek had enough on his plate, he didn't need to worry about Stiles on top of everything else. Not that Stiles was naïve enough to believe that Derek would ever stop worrying, but it was worth a try. Their relationship since the last full moon had been nothing but comfort and touches and kisses. It was so innocent, nothing like he'd first believed a relationship with Derek could be. If this actually was a relationship. Admittedly, they had never talked it out.

Is it because I'm afraid he's playing me, or just because of everything else going on? What are we going to be like when we don't have death and threat hanging over our heads? Is it ever going to work between us when everything finally calms down?

Stiles pushed his thoughts away as Derek backed off a bit, letting Stiles push himself off the bedroom door. He straightened the jacket he had fisted before and rolled his eyes when Stiles went to straight his too with a smirk.

Stiles fell onto his computer chair without an ounce of grace, but he was grinning as Derek once again rolled his eyes and smiled.

"So is Scott going to get the necklace?" Derek asked, throwing his hands into his jacket pockets in an attempt to not lay a hand on Stiles' neck. Derek had a fascination with doing that Stiles noticed. Squeezing the back of his neck, laying a hand there, or even sometimes just holding him like that. Was it a wolf thing? Stiles wasn't even going to pretend like he didn't enjoy it though.

"No. He's still working on it. But there's something else we can try." Stiles had actually been going through the ideas in his head all day, and he was sort of dying to get it out there. "The night we were trapped at the school, Scott sent a text to Allison asking her to meet him there."

Derek new how much Stiles enjoyed the explanation parts of a mystery, so he played along with a small smile. "So?"

"So it wasn't Scott who sent it." Stiles grinned now.

"Well how are we going to find out who sent it? Can you?" Derek looked skeptical and at his look Stiles sighed.

"No not me. But I think I know somebody who can."

Derek's skeptical look didn't fade and it really only got worse when the person in question finally got to Stiles house.

Other than trading pleasantries, Danny's first words to him were: "You want me to do what?"

Instantly Stiles knew this was going to be harder than he had anticipated. "Trace a text." Stiles almost pleaded. He had enough dignity not to actually beg though.

"I came here to do lab work." Danny insisted. "That's what lab partners do." He wouldn't even sit down so Stiles was stuck looking up at him.

"And we will, once you trace the text." Stiles ran a hand over his short hair, almost growling in a mix of amusement and frustration.

"And what makes you think I know how?"

Stiles actually felt a little guilty now, but he wasn't about to lie so he stumbled over the truth. "I actually…I looked up your arrest report. So…"

Danny looked incredulous. "I was thirteen. They dropped the charges." Stiles just shrugged at that, raising his eyebrows and muttering an unheard 'I know.' Before Danny started to speak again, almost angry. "No. We're doing lab work."

Stiles sighed and turned to his computer, feeling like a failure as Danny pulled up a stool to sit beside him. He could feel Derek's eyes at his back as he resigned himself to school work.

He knew Danny noticed Derek's presence upon entering the room, but it was just then, when Stiles had resigned himself to lab work that Danny finally pointed out the fact that he did see Derek. A soft "Who's he again?" Made Stiles freeze before he stumbled over his words.

"Um..My cousin." He said, honestly not thinking any of these answers out before saying them. "Miguel." What the hell Stiles? Miguel? Does Derek even look like a Miguel?! He could feel Derek's eyes burn a glare at the back of his head but that had honestly been the first thing to pop into his head. He swore to god it wasn't his fault.

"Is that blood on his shirt?"

Holy shit when had Danny become so observant?

Stiles had to struggle for an answer to that one too. "Yeah. Yeah. Well, he gets these horrible nose bleeds." He almost feared what he was about to do now. "Hey Miguel." He called out stupidly. He turned to look at Derek, hoping the larger wolf would please god, play along. "I thought I told you, you could borrow one of my shirts?" He was trying so hard to communicate with his eyes, though he doubted he needed to try so hard, Derek could probably smell his anxiety, his apology and his edgy desperation.

Stiles could feel Derek's glare to his bones and it was honestly scary, still there was nothing to do but steamroll his way out of this with some positive outcome. Right?

When Derek throw the book he was reading to Stiles' bed and stood up to pull his shirt over his head, even Stiles had to take a second to watch the expands of Derek's back bunch and dip with the movements of his muscles. He could smell his own arousal and if he could, so could Derek. With a blush, he turned back to Danny and started talking to hopefully cover up the awkwardness. Danny thought Stiles and Derek were cousins after all, what would he think of Stiles popping a boner for his cousin?

"So, Danny. We both know you have the skills to trace this text, so why don't you just-" he was interrupted with the harsh bark of Derek's voice calling his name. He covered up his little jump rather well as he turned back to look at Derek.

Derek held one of Stiles shirt between his hands as he radiated annoyance. "This? No fit." He was biting out his words so viciously that Stiles would have thought Derek was embarrassed, if Stiles didn't know Derek well enough to know that nudity wasn't really an issue with the bigger lifelong wolf.

"Then try something else on." Stiles tried to sooth at Derek's annoyance with soft words and a pleading look. It seemed to do the trick, but as he turned back to Danny, he was stopped again. He wasn't smelling just his own arousal, he realized that now as he got a whiff of Danny's.

There was a second, one very long second of anger and jealousy as it burned through his system, but then he realized something else. He could use this. He could get Danny to trace the text, and he could do it by using Derek.

I am so sorry… Stiles amended in his head, before he sucked up all of his own annoyances and jealousies to buff Derek up to Danny.

"Hey, that looks pretty good, right? What do you think Danny?" God he felt Derek's questioning anger like sweat on his skin. Sticky and uncomfortable, but he couldn't go back on this now, especially with the way Danny looked at Derek from under his lashes.

Danny had to swallow as his voice broke, and that just made Stiles want to rip the other teen's throat out. Calm down Stiles. This is for the greater good. A sacrifice that must be made. Yeah, that's what this is. Just play along. I am so sorry Derek.

"It's..not really his color." Danny's words had Derek huffing and pulling the shirt over his head again. Just like the last time, both he and Danny stared at Derek's chest. Honestly he just wanted to punch Danny in the face, but he settled for mocking him.

"You swing for a different team, but you still play ball, don't you Danny-boy." He tried really head to keep his tone light and he actually managed a smile when he succeeded.

"You're a horrible person." Danny retorted with no real heat in his voice. Stiles managed to hide his grin as he smelled Danny's embarrassment.

"I know. It keeps me awake at night. Anyways, about that text-"

Again, Stiles was cut off by Derek's bark of "Stiles!" followed by "None of these fit."

Well no duh genius. Stiles thought with a grin. Look at all that rippling muscle, how do you expect to fit into anything? You should just walk around shirtless. He didn't say any of this out loud though. Derek was downright sexy. He had virtually no body hair except for a very thin happy trail from his navel to the waistband of his jeans and Stiles was sure he was going to drool. In fact, so was Danny, who instantly caved.

"I'll need to ISP the phone number and the exact time of text."

The second Danny started, Stiles could have cheered as he gave up his seat to the genius hacker.

He stood and went to Derek, going through his drawers for a shirt that would fit Derek. He spoke quietly though, so Danny wouldn't hear him.

"God Derek you're freaking hot. If Danny wasn't right there I think I would have jumped your bones." He grinned when Derek choked, but his cheeks were red too and he was panting a little. It felt so good to know that Derek was his. For however long that would be, Derek had kissed, hugged, comforted, he'd treated Stiles like the awkward teen was important. Everything about Derek was just smoldering hot.

"Here you go big buy." Stiles pulled out a dark gray t-shirt and winked at Derek who nearly growled in response, but Stiles could smell Derek's arousal now too, mixing with his own and Danny's. It was a good thing Danny was here, actually, or everything could have gotten so much more complicated.

Stiles and Derek actually avoided looking at each other for the rest of the time it took Danny to trace the text, though they did trade glances when they figured out where the text can come from.

A computer at the hospital under the account name: Melissa McCall.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

After Danny left, Stiles and Derek rallied up and drove to the hospital. There was an argument the whole way there going back and forth about what to do concerning Scott's mom and whether or not Scott should be told. Stiles didn't think so but Derek did.

"Seriously Derek, there is nothing he can do and I know Melissa isn't the Alpha or a werewolf or being controlled, or whatever. It was something using her name. I've known this woman for most of my life, plus I'd be able to smell it on her."

"Fine, but if something goes wrong and it is her, it's going to hurt Scott even more than if he were expecting it."

Stiles glowered. "When would anyone be expecting to be sold out to a murderer by this mother? Besides, it wasn't her."

Derek sighed. "Maybe not Stiles, but if I were Scott I would want to know. Hiding things never worked out for you two in the past has it?"

With a dirty look Stiles relented. "No. It hasn't." just then, his phone chimed with the notification for a picture message from Scott. The necklace was easy to recognize and so what Scott's callused palms. "He managed to get the necklace." Stiles told Derek as he pressed the call button.

It didn't even ring twice before Scott answered.

"Did you get the picture?"

Stiles nodded, though he knew Scott couldn't see him. "Yeah, I did. And it looks just like the drawing."

Stiles felt Derek's hand wrap around his wrist and pull the phone from his ear and towards Derek's instead. He was actually just surprised that Derek didn't take just the phone. Still, the grip was tight and the angle painful, but he suffered in silence as Derek spoke.

"Hey, is there something on the back of it? There's got to be something. An inscription, an opening, something!"

"No." Scott answered. "No. The thing is flat and no it doesn't open. There's nothing in it, on it, around it, nothing. And where are you? You're supposed to be here, your first line." The coach's voice filtered through the speakers for a second before Scott was back. "Listen, you're not going to play if you aren't here to start."

Stiles sighed. He felt like cursing and weeping at the same time but they didn't have the time for it. "I know. I know. Look…" He grabbed uselessly in his mind for words, but he didn't really know what to say. "If you see my dad can you just..just tell him I'll be there, I'll just be a little bit late. Okay?"

"Yeah Stiles but-" He didn't let Scott finish.

"Okay. Thanks." He said before ending the call and putting his phone away.

Derek stared at him with an unreadable look. "You aren't going to make it." It was so matter-of-fact that it frustrated Stiles.

"I know." He breathed.

"And you didn't tell him about his mom either." Derek pointed out, to which Stiles closed his eyes and debated slamming his head against the steering wheel. Instead he leaned over and laid it on Derek's shoulder.

Derek's didn't push him away, in fact, he carded his hands through Stiles' short hair and kissed his forehead. It wasn't weird anymore. Wasn't awkward to show these little tid-bits of affection. And that more than anything else, was weird.

"Not till we find out the truth." Stiles insisted as he took in Derek's scent.

When he was ready to go into the hospital, he took his head off Derek's shoulders and sighed, forcing his body to relax as he laid his hand on the door handle.

"By the way, one more thing." Derek said, distracting Stiles who turned to him and a soft 'yeah'.

In a move so fast that Stiles' wolf sight didn't see coming, Derek grabbed the back of his neck and jerked his face forward, slamming the steering wheel harshly with it.

"OH GOD!" Stiles screamed holding his face where the burst of pain rippled. "What the hell was that-"

Derek didn't even sound apologetic. "You KNOW what that was for. Now go."

Stiles was still holding his face, apparently not moving fast enough for Derek as the older wolf barked out another 'GO!'.

He made his way out of the car with a deep frown and muttered curses, but not before hearing Derek snort in amusement. Damn werewolf jackass! So what if I can heal, that shit still hurts like hell! Didn't matter though, he did sort of deserve it after using Derek to get Danny to do what he wanted.

He grumbled to himself the whole way into the hospital, which was mostly empty not including the nice reception lady who smiled at Stiles when he walked in.

"How can I help you?" She asked politely.

When he asked for Melissa McCall, the receptionist said that she'd finished her shift today but they hadn't been able to get a hold of her since then, and would he like to ask for another nurse? He declined and made his way inside, to the room where he knew Derek's uncle was being kept. Derek had brought him to see Peter before.

He called Derek on his way there.

"Did you talk to her?" Derek said, in Lou of a 'hello'. Stiles rolled his eyes.

"No, they said they can't find her." He answered.

"Well ask for Jennifer. She's been looking after my uncle."

But Stiles was already ahead of him on that one. He rounded the corner, coming to the room where Peter Hale was kept, only to find the room empty of both nurse and patient.

Stiles was at first confused and then frustrated. "Yeah, well he's not here either."

"What?" Derek asked to which Stiles bumped his forehead with a closed fist.

"He's not here. He's gone Derek."

What he wasn't expecting, was Derek's panic on the other line. "Stiles! Get out of there! Get out of there right now! It's him! He's the Alpha, get out!"

The dread creped in show, admittedly slower than he would have liked, but just as he backed out of the room, he caught Peter's scent and turned to face the man whose face was half scared from the fire that had killed most of his family.

"You must be Stiles." Peter said, just as Stiles started walking backwards, ready to run. He was a new wolf, he couldn't fight, he could barely beat Derek. If he went up against an Alpha, he wouldn't live to tell the tale. But he was stopped by the nurse, Jennifer who reprimanded him.

"What are you doing here, visiting hours are over."

Stiles was so turned around he couldn't even get full sentences out as he tried to align the pieces that apparent Derek already had. "You." He said pointing to Jennifer. "And him." He continued pointing to Peter. "You…You're the one who…" He couldn't even think straight. The fear was crawling into his bones now. "Oh my…and he's the…Oh my god I'm going to die." He ran his hand over his hair and internally panicked. He was alone, Derek was outside, and he was toe to toe with an Alpha and a weird ass nurse who didn't really fit in at all. "I'm going to die."

He believed that right up until he caught Derek's scent, right before the older wolf elbowed Jennifer in the face.

Stiles was about to call out for Derek when Peter's voice interrupted him. "That's not nice. She's my nurse." God he sounded nuts.

"She's a psychotic bitch who's helping you kill people." He said to Peter, before briefly looking at Stiles. "Get out of the way."

Stiles sighed out a curse before getting down to the floor. He was too close to Peter, the Alpha who bit him. If he took part in this fight, he could be fighting against Derek instead of with him, Stiles knew this just as well as Derek did.

"You think I meant to kill Laura? My own family?" Peter said as he walked forward, only to be met with Derek's glowing blue eyes and growing claws and fangs.

Stiles watched as Derek went at Peter with all he had. Still, Peter was stronger, and it became obvious as he slammed Derek to the wall, jarring Derek's senses. Stiles felt the rage in his bones, the want to stand up and fight by Derek's side. Stiles pulled himself to a crouch as he thought about it. Alphas are weak without a pack. He may be Peter's Beta, but they aren't a pack, Derek is pack. He has to protect pack.

He's surging up ready to strike when he hears Peter start to talk.

"My mind, my personality were literally burned out of me. I've been driven by pure instinct."

Stiles snorted, watching the battle from his place behind the reception desks. For some reason this felt more personal now. It didn't feel like a fight for life or death, it felt like a family problem, something he hated thinking about, but knew he couldn't interrupt it now.

"You want forgiveness?" Derek threw a right hook and caught Peter in the jaw, before he kicked at Peter's chest, but it didn't even move the Alpha.

"I want a little understanding." Peter stated simply as he used Derek's failed kick to toss the Beta back. "Do you have any idea what it was like for me all those years?" He walked slowly to Derek who was bleeding. Stiles could smell the blood. "Slowly healing cell by cell. Even more slowly coming into consciousness. Becoming Alpha, taking that from Laura, pushed by over the edge of the healing Plato. I can't help that."

Derek surged up again, trying to get at Peter again, but the Alpha dodged back. Every hit was blocked until Derek's arm was trapped in Peter's grip, sending him to the ground. "I tried to tell you." Peter insisted. "I tried to warn you."

Peter throw Derek over the reception decks breaking the glass and sending the Beta sprawling. Stiles was there in a second, pulling on Derek's arm and dragging him away.

"Get out of here Stiles." Derek grunted out, but Stiles scowled at him.

"Shut up. Shut up and try to stand dude, you're really heavy."

Derek growled back but together they found their way to an examination room. He leaned Derek up against silver cabinets before standing and facing Peter.

"We heard your sob story. Now what do you really want. Why are you killing people?" Stiles felt Derek's hands wrap around his calf, but he didn't back down. This wasn't about the family anymore, Derek was pack and he was losing. Stiles couldn't let it continue anymore.

"This is your only chance. You want to explain, then explain." Derek grunted out. Peter frowned but slowly, with Derek and Stiles both watching, the scar on Peter's face healed completely.

"The Hale fire." Peter stated like it explained everything. "Let me show you."


	10. Episode Ten: Co-Captain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay guys, so this chapter is the shortest of the bunch. This is due to the content of the actual episode, So I wrote a little ficllete for yoo guys that I will only continue upon request. Enjoy!!!

TV Shows » Teen Wolf » Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Author: Ashrel Fury   
Rated: M - English - Humor/Romance - Reviews: 77 - Published: 04-28-14 - Updated: 08-03-14 id:10306710  
Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Ten: Co-Captain

The sharp pain of the original bite that had turned him, was nothing compared to the piercing of Peter's claws at the back of his neck. Like needles digging into his spine, pushing images into his mind, memories that weren't his, emotions that weren't his. Fire was burning him from the inside out, blood coated his hands, and the smell of death clung to everything.

He could feel hands clinging to him and somewhere in his mind he knew that it was Derek, but he couldn't hear his voice or smell his scent. He was lost in the images of Peter's murders and then images of the Hale fire flipping back and forth. God it was so agonizing. It hurt worse than any physical injury ever could. He couldn't even breathe past the pain.

"Stiles! What did you do to him!? Stiles! Come on Stiles snap out of it." That was Derek's voice. Derek.

"Come on Nephew, I just put things into perspective for the little Beta. After all, we need his help if we are going to get revenge for what they did to our family." This one was Peter, and Stiles couldn't help but whine at the sound of his voice, trying to pry the hands off of him so that he could get further away from the psychopath.

"You know who did it? You know who started the fire."

"I know a lot more than that Derek. And we need his help to get what we want."

After that, everything faded away. The only sure this was the arms holding him tightly, protectively. Derek's arms.

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The phone's shrill ringing made Stiles bolt up in panic and confusion that actually only got worse when he noticed where he was.

He was at home, in bed, tucked in with only his jeans and a pair of socks on.

"Holy shit…" Stiles breathed slowly to himself, not noticing the fact that his phone had stopped ringing until it started up again. When he reached over the caller ID told him it was Scott. Stiles cursed again. Shit, he'd missed the game completely, what must Scott be thinking? Hell, what must his dad be thinking?

"Stiles!" Scott didn't even wait for a 'hello' before he started talking. "Stiles we've got trouble! Jackson gave me three days Stiles, he wants the bite in three days and I don't know what to do! The Argents think it's either me or Jackson, they don't even know about you! They saw the marks on Jackson's neck Stiles! The one Derek left! I think Mr. Argent put something in his car last night! Oh my god Stiles what am I going to do? What are we going to do!?"

"Scott! Scott, calm down. Take this from the beginning, how do you know Chris Argent put something on Jackson's car?" Stiles couldn't panic, not now, there was no time. He needed to be the one level headed here, Scott was already well on his way off the deep end. Not that Stiles blamed him.

"I saw him last night. I wanted to talk to Allison but when I couldn't find her I'd thought I'd talk to her aunt Kate, but Kate was with Mr. Argent by Jackson's car. Jacksons threatening me Stiles, he wants the bite no matter what but I can't even get him what he wants! I don't even have what he wants!"

Stiles closed his eyes against the headache threatening to push his sanity down the garbage shoot. "Okay, first thing is first, we have to make sure Jackson don't say anything. We gotta follow him, I'll be there in five okay?"

He barely heard Scott's 'okay' before he ended the call and got himself out of bed. He didn't bother changing out of his jeans but he did slip on a white t-shirt and one of his short sleeved flannel over it. Geez, the day already started off terribly.

Stiles didn't see his father on his way out so the Sheriff was probably at the station early this morning, not that Stiles cared one way or another, in fact, not having to face his father right now was probably the highlight of the morning. With a harsh tug, he closed the door to his jeep and pulled out his phone. He needed to talk to Derek, he was sure that was who had tucked him into bed last night.

When all he got was Derek's voice mail, Stiles threw his phone into the back with a scowl and allowed his eyes to glow for a second before he doused the anger and turned the car on. Stiles knew where Derek likely was right now. With his crazy psychopathic uncle who was out for revenge on everyone involved with the Hale Fire. He remembered all of the images from Peter's freaky claws digging into his neck and he even remembered the conversation between Derek and Peter when he was finally aware enough to listen. He knew Derek, better than probably anyone, but he didn't know everything, and that made him uneasy. Would Derek really take Peter's side just for revenge? Would Derek be able to get past the fact that Peter was the one who killed his sister? The one who turned Stiles?

"Derek…please…" Stiles whispered, hoping that wherever Derek was, he would listen to the simple plea.

He took off towards Scott's as he tried to push every thought back.

Turns out that yes, Chris was tailing Jackson, but how so was Stiles. When Jackson's car broke down and Chris stopped to pretend to look at it, Stiles figured now would be the best time to intervene. He could hear the conversation perfectly, from the claw marks to Jackson's reluctance to reveal what caused the wounds.

"There's a shop right down the street, I'm sure they have a tow truck." Scott was making meaning eyes and Jackson and Stiles was trying his best to look human, though he no longer really knew what that meant. This was actually the first time he saw Chris Argent outside of the dark woods and the man smelled repulsive. Gunpowder, wolf's bane, and a cologne so bitter it made Stiles sneeze as he tried to speak.

"You want a ride? Come on Jackson you're way too pretty to be out here all by yourself." Stiles managed to keep a straight face as he said this he felt that it was a major accomplishment.

Jackson nodded and headed their way. As he got closer, Stiles could smell him past the strong scents of the Argent Hunter. The kid was scared, even nerves. Stiles could at least sympathize with that.

It came to no surprise to Scott or Stiles as Chris called to them and managed to get Jackson's car working again. Really, now the man was just being obvious. Still, he didn't know which one of the three boys was actually the werewolf in human clothes. This brought comfort to Stiles, however minutely the comfort was.

When Argent was gone, Jackson rounded on Scott.

"What are you follow me now?"

Stiles could see that Scott was already passed freaking out, so he stepped in quickly. "Yes you freaking idiot!" Jackson's eyes snapped to Stiles in surprise, like the older boy hadn't even noticed Stiles was there at all. "You almost gave away everything right there!"

"What are you talking about!?" Jackson demanded. Scott stepped in now.

"He thinks you're the second Beta!"

Jackson's face was all different levels of freaked out now. "What?!"

Stiles sighed as he saw Scott's fisted hands and ridged posture, so he stepped between the two of them and turned to Jackson. "He thinks you're me." Stiles admitted softly.

The lock of Jackson's face was so comical that if the situation was just slightly less dangerous, he would have burst out laughing. As it was, was silent as Jackson collected the data Stiles just gave him.

"What?!" Jackson roared. "Skinny Stilinski is a werewolf too!? What the fuck McCall! I said get me the Bite and instead you get your little friend- You better kiss your relationship with Allison goodbye you-" Stiles heard the sound of Scott's hand connecting to his Jeep before he could even make a move to stop the pissed off human.

"Dude! My Jeep." Stiles put a hand on Scott's shoulder as they turned to Jackson.

"I'm not a werewolf you idiot! I just freakin' work hard! What's so wrong with that?! Why does there have to be some other reason?!" Scott was venting and ranting and Stiles couldn't find a way to get a word in edge wise, but Jackson could.

"Don't lie to me McCall!"

How fucking dense does a prick have to freain' be?

Stiles had to again step between them, putting a hand on each of their chests before he turned his face to Jackson and allowed his eyes to flash and his teeth to descend.

"He's not lying Jackson. He's not the wolf. I am. I could hear your heart beating from a mile away. Literally. Chris thinks there's something wrong, so now I have to keep an eye on you so he doesn't try and kill you too." Stiles stared Jackson with his glowing yellow wolf eyes. He wanted to stupid human to know exactly what was going on here, if Jackson wasn't aware of exactly what was at stake, he could tell the Argent everything he knows and Stiles won't be under their radar anymore.

"This is your problem!" Jackson argued after a beat, "I didn't say anything so that means you're the one that's going to get me killed! This is your fault!" He tried to shove Stiles, but he didn't get far. Stiles had his wrists in a firm grip and the young wolf could feel the snarl on his lips.

"Don't you dare touch me." Stiles growled before throwing the human's wrists down. "When they come after you Jackson, I won't be able to protect you. I can't protect anyone." He threw a glance over his shoulder at Scott, who just glared at him.

Jackson didn't seem to be getting the point though, if his neck sentence was anything to go by.

"You know what, none of you have to do it. Get me what I want and I'll be fine protecting myself!"

"No you won't!" Scott bellowed out from behind Stiles, pushing at Stiles shoulder so that he could face Jackson. "All it does is ruin your life! I'm not even one Jackson, I'm human and all it's done is destroy everything I tried to build! My girlfriend broke up with my, I have people trying to kill me, and my best friend-" he stopped then, turning a worried eye to Stiles who had gone ridged with guilt.

Silence rang for a minute before Jackson started in again like the idiot he was. "It ruined your life, but what about Stilinski? Is your life ruined? No one even knows what you are, everyone here thinks its McCall."

Stiles bristled but forced himself to calm down. "I didn't ask for this Jackson. I never would. Did it make my life better? No. Did it make it worse? Possibly. It doesn't matter. The Alpha's out for revenge and nothing else. He would kill you before he'd turn you."

Jackson scowled. "Well then you better find a way Stilinski. You're McCall's best friend right? You want him to be happy?" Jackson smirked when Stiles glanced at Scott briefly. "You get me the bite, I get McCall Allison. Three days."

When he turned his back and walked away, Scott screamed. There was so much rage and frustration in the scream that Stiles had to cover his ears.

"He's so stupid!"

Stiles couldn't help but agree.

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When Stiles got home, his father was home pouring over case files concerning the murders. With a few drinks Stiles knew his father would loosen his tongue, and just like that, Stiles got all of the certain details. From the Bus driver being the insurance investigatory accused of fraud to the video clerk being convicted felon with a history of arson. Even the two homeless bums Stiles and Scott met in the woods were under suspicion of multiple crimes including arson. Just like what Stiles was shown, Peter had only killed those people involved with the fire, everyone but Laura.

Guilt had washed over Stiles again when things turned tender in his father's drunken state. The words were almost lost, but Stiles heard them, and he broke a little under them.

"I miss talking to you. It's like we never have time-" Stiles cut him off, telling John he needed to make a phone call, specifically to Derek, but then his father continued. Four words caught Stiles off guard. "I miss your mom…"

Silence fell over the Stilinski men like water and Stiles wasn't sure he could speak through the golf ball lodged in his throat. He felt the sadness so intensely now that he could also smell it in his father. Tears gathered in the corner of his eyes, but he stood strong, sighing as his father looked up at him.

It would be easier to talk about this if I was drunk too…

"I miss her too…" Stiles admitted, before coming closer to help his father up. "Come on dad, let's get you to bed. You can pour yourself over those files in the morning." The fact that John didn't even protest was a testament to how deep the hurt really went, but Stiles tried his best to ignore that part.

"You're just like her you know." John continued as Stiles helped him up the stairs. Stiles was almost tempted to do anything he could to make his father stop talking, but another part of him wanted to hear this, needed to even. They spend so long trying to not talk about it, but maybe it was time to. "She was always so eccentric. Your eyes are so alike I see her there sometimes. And just like her, I'm slowly loosing you too."

Stiles stumbled with his father as the last few words cut into his heart. "You're not losing me dad." Stiles insisted, not being able to keep the tears from falling now. It was only two, but they were still there. "I'm here old man, I'm here for a long while yet. You aren't going to outlive me." It was truer now that he was a wolf than ever. Someday he would watch his father die, just like they had watched his mother. When he phone rang, it was almost a saving grace.

"Come on dad." He almost dragged his dad to bed, but when the Sheriff sighed and pulled himself together, telling Stiles to go do what he had to, Stiles was almost reluctant to go but the phone was persistent. "Goodnight dad." Stiles called as he made his way downstairs to grab his phone. He didn't even bother with the Caller ID.

"Hello?"

"Stiles!"

Stiles startled at the yell from the other end, but the worry won over. "Scott? What's wrong buddy?"

"Stiles! Peter was here!"

"What!" Panic came quickly in Stiles' guts like fire, "What do you mean he was there?"

"He was here Stiles! He was here! He took my mom out! On a DATE Stiles!"

"Get ready Scott, I'm on my way over, we are going to stop this."

He hung up without even waiting for a goodbye. He didn't even stumble as he made his way out of the house and dialed the number that has become so familiar to him now. When all he gets is the voicemail, he swears venomously before leaving a short and angry message.

"Derek, call me. Now."

He didn't even care that he sped the whole way to Scott's, all he cared about was stopping any plans Peter, and by extension, Derek had.

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The plan was simple and honestly not very thought out, but it worked, right up until Peter opened his mouth concerning Jackson.

Stiles dashed out without bothering to make an excuse for Scott's mom, Scott could take care of his car for all he cared, he knew that if Peter was here, Derek was with Jackson. He wasn't going to let Derek do this, he wasn't going to let Peter control Derek. He knew the blue eyed wolf well enough to know that Derek was better than that. Revenge or no revenge, Derek would do what was right, he just needed someone to remind him what was right.

He knew exactly where Derek would take Jackson. When he was close enough, the smell of ash covered everything and Stiles almost chocked on it. Peter's memories were still fresh on his mind and the sight of the Hale house made him stumble, but Derek was in there. Derek was in there, about to do something very very stupid.

"Wouldn't there be someone here trying to save you?! There's no one here! There is a reason no one cares that you drive an expensive car, no one cares that you have perfect hair, and no one cares that you're captain of the lacrosse team." He was just in time to catch the tail end of Derek's lecture, and he couldn't help but agree. Jackson was so full of himself, so cocky and selfish he deserved every word, he even deserved the fear…but he didn't deserve to die.

"Derek!" Stiles voice echoed in through the house from the top of the stairs. He'd managed to actually surprise the other wolf, which was unusual, but it clued Stiles in on one important thing. Derek was nervous. "I think you mean co-captain." Stiles wasn't sure why he said that, or why he said it with a smile, but he wanted to calm Derek down.

"What are you doing here Stiles?" Derek glared but Stiles could smell the guilt, and he was sure Derek knew he could.

Please Derek, don't do this…

"I'm here to make sure you don't do something stupid." He started down the stairs, moving Jackson aside with a nudge of his foot until he stood toe-to-toe with Derek, so close now he could smell more than just the guilt. He also smelled the anger, the confusion, and the fear. Derek didn't know what to do.

Stiles allowed his hand to come up but he stopped himself before he touched Derek's cheek. Derek didn't back down, instead, he snarled.

"Move Stiles."

"No." Stiles glared back.

"Fine. Then I'll kill you too!"

I don't believe that for a second. Stiles scowled before grabbing the back of Derek's neck and pulling him down.

The kiss was more teeth than anything, brutal and harsh, each one trying to get the advantage. They'd never kissed like this before but it didn't matter. Derek growled like an animal and broke skin, calming only slightly at the taste of Stiles' blood. Stiles was so caught up in the taste and the feelings that were starting to bubble up in his gut that he didn't notice until it was too late.

Derek heard it first. The flash arrow came fast, but so did the gun shots.

Derek managed to dodge, but Stiles didn't. A hit to the stomach had him down next to Jackson, who stood and fled faster than any werewolf Stiles had seen so far.

Fucking coward, he wants to be a werewolf but runs and hides at the first trace of trouble.

"Stiles!"

Instantly Derek was right next to Stiles, and the younger wolf couldn't help but grin. This was Derek, the real Derek back again. "Shit Stiles, you have to get out of here! Go!" Derek was tugging on his arm, trying to get him up and moving, but every breath was a knife to the gut. He tried to say as much but he was choking on blood. Black blood.

"Stiles they're wolf's bane bullets, you have to get out of here, they won't stop until they have one of us!"

Derek's voice was wavering and Stiles opened his mouth again to talk but only coughed up more of the disgusting liquid. Was this even blood?

"God damn it Stiles!" the growl was right in his face, but it did nothing for him. Using werewolf strength, Derek got Stiles to his feet, giving the younger wolf a small kiss on the temple before pushing him away. "Run!"

He didn't want to flea and he really didn't want to leave Derek here along in the path of hunters, but his instincts were screaming at him to run and follow Derek's order. He was injured and under attack from an enemy he couldn't see or smell.

Stiles didn't know how far he got, actually he didn't even know when he'd dropped. All he really knew was that someone was carrying him. The voice was familiar and so was the scent, but Stiles couldn't identify the person. So he faded in and out, unsure if it was safe but unable to do much else.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~ (Here's a little change, now its Scott's POV. We'll all love Scott again soon I promise.)

When his phone went off, Scott thought it was Allison. He'd gotten home only to find Allison gone. He'd trying to call her twice already, but when she didn't respond, he gave up.

The human boy's hopes were smashed when the panicked male voice filled the phone's speakers.

"Did you know Stilinski was queer?!"

Scott reeled back like he'd been hit and he wasn't sure if it was by the words or the person who said them. "Jackson? What the hell?"

"Stilinski, McCall! Keep up! Did you know Stilinski was queer and dating Derek Hale?!"

"Jackson what the hell are you talking about? Make sense or I'm hanging up." Scott scowled because yes. He'd known Stiles was bi, he just didn't know about Derek.

"Listen McCall, 'cause I'm only going to say this once. The Argents took Derek, and Stiles was shot. He ran and I don't know where but he…he saved my life alright. I owe him this but nothing else. I didn't know who to call so you're it."

The dial tone that followed the statement startled Scott back into action. Shit! Stiles!

Scott almost dropped his phone in his attempt to dial Stiles. With each ring, the rock in his gut tightened, until finally someone picked up, but it wasn't Stiles.

"Hello?"

"Deaton?" Scott looked around his room in confusion, huffing out breaths in an attempt to speak but not finding any words that express his wayward thoughts.

"Hello Scott, you're calling for Stiles I assume?"

God how do they get into these situations? No one can be trusted, what the hell? "Yeah, is he there?"

"Yes he is. I treated him for the gun shot and gave him something to speed up the healing process. He's at the clinic now."

Scott wanted to hit his head against something hard but it just figured really. The whole town is crazy, why not his boss. After all they had believed he was the Alpha until Peter showed his hand. Well Stiles had anyway.

"I thought you were a vet."

"That's very true. Ninety percent of the time I'm treating cats and dogs."

With a huff, Scott groaned. "Mostly?"

"Mostly." Deaton answered. "If you want to come see him, I'm afraid he won't be conscious till morning. It's good that you called, if you wouldn't mind covering for him with his father if John asks."

Tired and honestly confused, Scott nodded. "Yeah fine. Tell him I'll be there in the morning."

"I'll see you then Scott."

The human hung up before he fell backwards onto his bed. He tried again to call Allison, but again she didn't answer, so he left a message asking if they could talk. It was lame, but he couldn't help it. God he felt pathetic. His best friend was getting shot at and dating a murderer. He didn't murder anyone Scott! Stiles' voice repeated in his head. Okay, yeah, Stiles was right. Derek didn't kill anyone, but how could his best friend tell him about being Bi, but not about dating a wanted felon. His fault or not, Derek was a wanted felon.

Shit, even Stiles was having a better love life than Scott. Why did everything have to be so hard? He had worked so hard during the summer so that his year would be easier, but instead everything is even worse. Not only does he have to worry about grades and sports, he's worrying about his life against werewolf hunters, his werewolf best friend dating a wanted felon who is also a werewolf, a crazy Alpha trying to date his mother…when would all of this stop?

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(READ ME SO THAT YOU GUYS AREN'T CONFUSED!

So here is what went down, this chapter is shorter than all the others due to the content of the actual episode, there was honestly nothing I could add and if I had it would just have dragged the story out or damaged it from running its natural course, and it would have been boring, so bottom line is, Chapter's done here, if you want to go and wait for the next chapter, leave now, because things are about to get VERY DIFFERENT! I REPEAT, FROM HERE ON, THIS IS SORT OF A DIFFERENT STORY. IT'S JUST A TREAT FOR YOU GUYS THOUGH, MY LOYAL READERS.

I figured, instead of boring you guys, I would write a little ficlette…although that was the original plan, when I started writing it just…yeah, there is a deep and very thrilling plot in there for you guys. If you guys want more of THIS story though, you have to review and ask for it because otherwise I won't continue it.

Summary: Due to a mix of Druid and Fae Magic, Stiles ends up in a Parallel universe were things happened very differently than he remembers. According to the rule of Parallel Universes, one event that happened or choice that was made leads to multiple different outcomes. So what event could possibly ruin the pack he he knows and loves to this extent? (Follows Teen Wolf seasons 1, 2, and 3, but somewhat ignores the events in season 4.) STEREK MATES! May be continued if people actually like it.

Not The Roads We Know

Magic wasn't something that came easy to Stiles, whether or not he was born with it like his mother. Being a teenage boy with ADHD was hard enough as it is, but when he came into his powers at 11 years old everything just got worse.

Control was important, one of the first things he was required to learn, though mainly because he'd almost burned the house down when he'd gotten angry at his dad for grounding him from seeing Scott. All things considered Stiles was actually very proud of his control now. A good seven years of practice did him endless amounts of good, but he wasn't perfect.

Which is why he was currently here. In a parallel dimension to his own.

He knew it was parallel because something's were the same. The place in which he was standing was the same as his dimension, the people around him were the same as his dimension, even the druid and hunters they were currently up against were the same, but there was definitely something wrong.

"Stiles! Stay out of the way!" Derek roared as he pushed Stiles into the burned remains of the Hale House, taking the dart of wolf's bane to the shoulder instead of letting it hit Stiles.

"What the hell Derek! That wouldn't have hit me in the first place, I've got a spell up numbnuts!" Stiles called back. He didn't miss the looks of confusion he got from the rest of the pack, but right now was not the time to question shit. They needed to get the hunters away and take the druid down. "Scott! Take Isaac and Boyd and draw the Hunters away! Erica and Malia can handle holding the druid down!"

Now the werewolves around him were full out freaked, but that didn't matter. "Scott go!" Stiles yelled before turning back to Derek, pulling the dart out without warning and waving a hand over the wound. He paid no mind to Derek's growl or the howl in his ear to 'Get the hell away!'. He needed to handle this situation before it got out of hand.

"Derek, where's Jackson? We need some muscle." Stiles asked, keeping his eyes own for any more darts, he had a spell up around them so nothing short of silver bullets would cut through his magic. Fae were weak against silver after all.

Derek's face was a mixture of anger, grief, and full out bewilderment. Stiles scowled at me and grabbed his shoulder. "Answer me Derek."

"Jackson's in Europe Stiles! He left the pack years ago!"

Oh shit…You have got to be kidding me.

"Then what about Boyd? Scott looked at me like I kicked his puppy and he couldn't understand why."

The look on Derek's face lost the anger but doubled the grief, keeping all of the bewildered. Stiles almost didn't want to hear the answer. Not that he had too, as the druid chose that moment to make an attack.

A silver dagger came flying and Stiles cursed as he used his own burst of magic to push himself and Derek out of the path of danger.

He reached into his boot for his own silver dagger and lobbed it back, expecting to miss. Only, he didn't miss. The druid wasn't expecting a silver weapon, so when he tried to use his magic to fling the dagger away, it lodged itself right between the eyes, exactly where Stiles had aimed. The druid fell with a sick thump to the ground. To be honest, it was rather anticlimactic as Derek and Stiles kneeled there together on the front porch of the bones of the Hale House waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Stiles!"

The female voice calling his name startled him enough that he rose from his possession next to Derek and looked around for the speaker, though he recognized the voice. Malia came running at him like a torpedo and he smiled at her, opening his arms for a hug. What he was not expecting was the brutal kiss she landed on his lips.

The shock lasted longer than he would admit to, but the second his brain caught up with him, he pushed her way violently, not that it did much to her other than surprise her.

Stiles whipped a hand over his mouth and turned wide eyes to Derek, opening his mouth to speak even before the older wolf rose.

"I don't know what that was! I swear to god Derek, I didn't do it. She came at me! You saw it, it wasn't me, I didn't even encourage it! I'm surprised she would even do that in front of you! She knows what even hugging me makes you feel! I'm sorry, I won't let it happen again, okay? Don't kill her, I'm sure she didn't even mean it, she's just glad I didn't die. Right Malia?" He turned pleading eyes to the female wolf only to be met with confused and hurt brown eyes. His gaze didn't linger, instead he looked back at Derek who never lost the grief, anger, bewilderment thing he had going on. "Derek?" Stiles asked tentatively.

No one got the chance to speak as Scott came back from the edge of the clearing carrying Kira, panting but otherwise unharmed. Scott put Kira down after a moment and hugged her, kissing her temple and nose before he kissed her lips.

Stiles gasped before he marched up to Scott and hit him in the back of the head. Hard.

"What the fuck Scott!" Stiles yelled, getting even angrier when Scott turned confused and hurt eyes to him. That was becoming a trend now, confusion and hurt. "What the hell is Allison going to think when she sees you kissing Kira?! Just because their friends doesn't mean you can fuck both of them Scott!"

And there was the grief. Just like in Derek face at the mention of Boyd.

What the hell was going on here?

"Scott? Why do you look like you're about to cry?" Stiles asked quietly, the anger having burned away in the face of Scott's sorrow.

"What are you talking about Stiles?" Kira asked instead. She was standing next to Scott, holding his hand and squeezing it tightly as if in support. Stiles was further thrown for a loop when an unknown teenage boy came out into the clearing with blood covering his white shirt.

"Holy shit, who the hell are you?!" Stiles yelled, mostly because the boy was wolfed out, yellow eyes burning holes into Stiles' face. Again the confusion was there.

Malia came up behind Stiles, her hand laying softly on his arm. That was strange in itself, Malia was never 'soft'. "Stiles that's Liam. You know Liam. You're the one who told me that he was pack."

Stiles furrowed his brows and turned from her to the boy, Liam, before looking at Scott and Kira, their clasped hands, and then turning to Derek.

"Derek…" His voice was so small to his own ears. It was almost a whispered whine. "What's going on here?"

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"Boyd's dead?" Stiles voice wavered as he looked around the living room at each member of his pack. At what was left of his pack.

"Yes Stiles." Lydia sighed. She looked so tired, almost a little dead inside. Stiles could understand though, her best friend had died after all. "Erica, Allison, Aiden, even Isaac, and Jackson are gone."

All he could do was nod dumbly, not really sure if he understood what his pack had just told him. More than half of his pack, more than half of the people he had just hung out with and ate dinner with last night…were gone.

His eyes strayed to Derek, who looked so lost and sad that Stiles couldn't help it. Stiles went to him.

Everyone was shocked when he ran his hands over Derek's hair, but no one so much so as Derek himself. Almost on instinct his hand shot out to grab Stiles wrist in a bruising grip, but all Stiles did was wince. "Right, sorry. Sorry. Forgot. Not my Derek."

Stiles forced out a grin before pulling his hand from Derek's grip and backing away. He looked to Lydia again. "Okay, can you go through it again? Everything that's happened since Scott got bit."

It was a long story. Familiar, but at the same time completely different than what Stiles had experience in his own dimension. So many pack members lost, so many not even bothering to stick around. Jackson, Ethan, Isaac, Cora, and Danny all of them left this pack in search of something better. Not to mention all of those truly lost. Allison, Aiden, Boyd, Erica, even Stiles himself it seemed had to a very hard patch.

When Lydia was done for the second time, everyone eyed Stiles like he was a circus performer. Everyone waiting to see his next trick, but Stiles was still too caught up in all of the new information to perform for them. This couldn't be happening, none of this could be true.

"That can't be possible…No one…no one dies in my world. No one leaves, everyone's together guys." He looks around at every face, his eyes pleading and filled with unshed tears.

"It's impossible. Jackson wouldn't leave." He rounded on Lydia. "He loved you! After everything he did, he stayed for you!" Her own eyes were brimming with tears now. Tears so fat that Stiles could actually watch them as they fell.

"And Boyd and Erica would never ask to leave the pack!" His eyes zeroed in on Derek. "You changed their lives! Gave them hope! They were never captured or killed and Cora came to find you just in time to help save everyone from the Alpha pack." God he felt pathetic looking at Derek's sorrow filled eyes with a plea on his lips. "And Allison…" His eyes fell on Scott who flinched back, tears already falling. Just seeing Scott's reaction was heartbreaking and Stiles couldn't even breathe for a second.

It was all true. Everything they told him.

"What was it like?" Malia's voice came from the foot of the stairs where she was hiding, slightly further away from everyone. Stiles looked at her blankly for a second, so she asked again. "What was your world like? It's obvious you didn't come from here, you aren't our Stiles."

The second she said that, Stiles felt it. No, he wasn't their Stiles and this wasn't his pack. His eyes found Derek on their own, but the older wolf was looking away. Stiles tried to reach for it, the connection of an emissary to the Alpha, but he couldn't find the link. That wasn't even his Derek.

"Who's the Alpha?" Stiles asked, almost afraid of the answer.

Scott was the one who spoke for the first time since Stiles arrived in this strange parallel dimension of horror. "Me."

Stiles couldn't stop his mouth from falling open, which was probably an insult, but the shock was just too much. He looked from Scott to Derek and back again.

Before he could stop it, he started laughing.

It wasn't a joyful sound, it wasn't even a nervous reaction, it was hysterical. It was crazy laughter, but it spilled out of him like a shaken soda can. He laughed so hard he was crying…and then he was sobbing.

No one moved to help him, though he could see that a few people wanted to. Malia and Scott being at the top. Not even Derek made a move to comfort him. Derek…What must his Derek be thinking right now? Faced with a broken Stiles who had to live with this broken pack. What must this world's Stiles think? Standing toe to toe with ghosts.

"No one's dead…" Stiles rasps out after a moment. Instantly everyone's attentions is focused on him once again, but he doesn't look up, just keeps his eyes to the ground. "Just last night we had a pack night. Allison even baked brownies." He looked up, searching her out even though he knew he wouldn't see her. But he did see her in a way. Stiles saw Allison in the look of heartbreak on Lydia and Scott's face.

"Boyd, Derek, and I played p…" he didn't bother turning to Derek, he could feel the awful gut wrenching pain as it was. "Erica gave Kira and Malia make-overs and even put a fashion show on with Allison for the other guys." God this was like torture. He could feel the oppressive cloud of darkness like an anvil. This group of people wasn't even a pack, not really. This pack didn't even come close to his own.

"Oh god…" Stiles moaned in agony as he gave up and sat on the floor. "Derek's going to go crazy…"

Like rubber band, everyone's heads snapped up, it was actually an audible thing. It made Stiles tense a bit, before he gave up for a second time and relaxed.

"What do you mean Derek is going to go crazy?" Scott asked with a weary edge. Stiles realized that he was trying to take control of the situation. Like an Alpha. God that was so weird. Back in his world everyone loved Scott, but no one would follow the boy to battle if their life depended on it.

"It's hard for a werewolf to be away from his mate after they're found." Stiles answers simply. There was no way to sugar coat it.

The reaction time was phenomenal though.

It took everyone literally seven minutes to do anything and even then the first one to act was Malia. In an instant bit of growling and snarling, she was at Derek's throat, but Derek may have been prepared for it with how fast he acted.

Derek grabbed her by the back of her shirt and threw her over his shoulder, wolfing out himself as he stood from the couch. They snarled at each other, and Malia was about to try again, but Stiles intervened.

With a snap of his fingers he held a ball of flames that he sent down into the ground between them, getting both wolf to back away instantly.

"Back off!" Stiles yelled at them both, though his back was to Derek. It was instinctual almost, to protect Derek.

"He's not your mate! He's mine!" Malia screamed. She looked like she was about ready to charge again when Scott stood up and roared at her. Her wolf features melted away into a crushed teenage girl, and Stiles wanted to reach out to her. She was like his sister after all, he taught her out to fit back into human society back in the day. He'd talked her though being human and even talked to her about Peter being her father. He knew better though, if he reached out, he'd be accepting her claim. So instead, he spoke for himself.

"I don't belong to anyone. At least not anyone here." He looked over his shoulder at Derek, who, despite standing tall with his head held high, wouldn't meet Stiles' eyes. "I'm guessing you didn't tell the Stiles of this dimension that you two were mates?"

Finally Derek looked at him, and in an instant Stiles could see it. The longing look that his own Derek used to send him back when everything started. Stiles was so caught up in that look he barely noticed when Derek started talking.

"He didn't want me. I was the enemy for so long that when we were finally on the same side it was too late." Derek thinned his lips and then shook his head as if to clear it. Stiles recognized that move too, he wasn't thinking self-deprecating thoughts.

"Hey there big guy, I don't think you understand what mates really are." Stiles knew he was barking up the wrong tree. Derek had grown up with the tales of life long mates and the happiness of being meant for each other. Still, Stiles has felt the mating bond when it was complete, this Derek didn't.

It didn't stop Derek from rolling his eyes and sneering though.

"So what? You really are Derek's mate?" Liam, the teenage boy Stiles didn't know, spoke up this time. Stiles had honestly forgotten the boy was even there. "Is there really such a thing as mates? For bitten werewolves too?" The boy sounded hopeful, not that Stiles wasn't surprised. If even Derek was a closet romantic, then everyone had a little romance in them.

Stiles grinned over at the boy before it fell and he shook his heads. "Bitten wolves were originally human. While they can find a mate, it won't be what it was for me and Derek." It was weird. Looking at Derek's face but not seeing Derek. "For us it was instinct. An unexplainable draw that bound us together. Even my magic called out to him, like his wolf called out to me."

"Magic?" This was from Kira, who was smiling though more than a little lost. That look was so familiar. At least Kira didn't change.

Stiles nodded again and stole a glance at Derek before speaking. "I'm the pack emissary. Back in my dimension, or my universe, or world or whatever. I'm not a Druid though, I'm part Fae."

"Stiles is a fairy?" Lydia's eyes were wide but everyone else just looked lost. Stiles scowled at her.

"Can we not use that word? God, Jackson mocked me for years after you blurted out that exact thing the first time I told you guys." And it was true too, Jackson and Isaac both had been merciless in their teasing.

"So you are a fairy." Stiles had forgotten about Malia, but when her voice growled from beside him, he was back to staring at her as she bared her teeth. Her emotions were everywhere on her face and body, but there were so many of them that Stiles couldn't honestly pick them out.

"No." He said tentatively. "I just have an affinity for magic. A powerful spark."

"What's the difference between a Fae and a Druid?" Lydia asked. There was interest in her eyes now. A quest for knowledge that Stiles was very familiar with. It made him feel a bit more connected to this broken group, Malia and Liam aside.

He was about to answer when Derek cut in instead. "Druids are humans bound to the earth and thus able to use the earth as a power source for magic. The Fae are essentially made of magic." His gaze was boring into Stiles like A lazer beam. "I didn't know Stiles was Fae."

Stiles smiled a bit, he hadn't wanted to tell the others either until Derek had confronted him on his strange smell. At that point though his magic had progressed a lot under his mother's watchful care. At that thought his smile dropped a bit. Derek really didn't know? Just how magically gifted was their Stiles?

"In my world, Derek smelled the magic in me. I'd been training with my mom since I was 11 so I was strong enough to warrant detection when we met. You didn't confront me about it until Jennifer Blake though."

Scott's sharp inhale had everyone's notice. And so did his words.

"Stiles, in this universe, your mom died when you were 7."


	11. Episode Eleven: Formality

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Eleven: Formality

Stiles wanted to throw up.

He knew he'd been shot, the wolf's bane had seemed to burn him from the inside out. He truly knew now what Derek had gone through when the bigger wolf had been shot. Still, the wound had been treated, he had felt hands work the wound closed and he'd feel the healing even while he was fading in and out of awareness. This pain was different.

Shock after shock rocked his body but he wasn't thrashing, wasn't even waking up from his sleep. A voice curled around his ears but it was female. A woman couldn't have carried him, a woman couldn't have healed him so where was he? Why was the electricity running through his body, the pain hitting his nerves, the voice graining his mind?

A good hour went by like this. Pain booming every couple of minutes. He could hear the growling and the howling of another wolf, of Derek. Derek… The bigger wolf was in pain sure, Stiles wasn't sure how he knew, but he was certain. Derek, he needed to find Derek! He'd left the other wolf behind, left him to the hunters. They were torturing him. Stiles knew it, it was thrumming within the bond he shared with Derek. Whatever they were, they were pack and Stiles could feel the weakening of Derek's consciousness. He would lose his pack, he would lose Derek if he didn't do something.

Do something!

"Derek!"

His eyes snapped open and his fangs bared as he bolted up with a growl. Instantly he recognized the place where he'd almost amputated Derek's arm. The clinic, he was in Scott's work place.

Stiles didn't hesitate to attempt to stand, his mind repeating the name 'Derek, Derek, Derek, Derek' with every beat of his heart. He couldn't hold himself up though as his feet met the floor and his legs wobbled with his weight.

"Welcome to the land of the conscious." He heard Deaton's voice call before a hand settled on his shoulder. "Maybe you should sit down." Deaton's hand touched Stiles bare chest and Stiles looked down with a snarl.

"What are you?" Stiles asked through clenched teeth. His instincts were screaming at him to get out, to find Derek. To be honest, he was only slightly unnerved that Deaton had cared for his wound and apparently knew about werewolves if his lack of fear and confusion were anything to go by.

Deaton never got the chance to answer as the bell for the front door chimed. Instantly Stiles could smell who it was. Peter.

He was frozen in place as Deaton looked from him to the open door way leading to the front entrance in confusion. The vet didn't linger though, he instantly but carefully walked out to stand behind the reception desk, face to face with the newly healed Peter Hale. Stiles could feel the fear curl inside him as he backed away towards the corner of the room. Deaton didn't know who Peter was, he could let Peter in. Stiles couldn't take Peter on, not without Derek, not without his pack.

"I'm sorry, but we're closed." Deaton sounded pleasant to Stiles ears, but his smell was all edgy. Stiles could feel himself relaxing a bit but he didn't move from his little corner.

"Hi." Peter's voice was almost friendly and it made Stiles flinch. "I'm here to pick up."

"I'm not sure I remember you dropping off." Deaton countered easily. Instantly he knew that Deaton wouldn't let Peter come to the back room. Not willingly at least.

"This one wondered in on its own." Peter said, sounding far less friendly. Stiles didn't know what to do. Deaton was human…or was he? Whatever Deaton was he didn't know Peter was a werewolf, he wouldn't be able to protect himself and Stiles had to keep Peter from killing more people. But should he go out there and face Peter? Hurt and without Derek. Deaton was dead anyways.

"Shit…" Stiles thumped his head against the wall as he stayed where he was, listening to the two man fight a Cold War.

Stiles was surprised by the term 'Mountain Ash', and the sounds of a chair being thrown but Deaton not smelling of fear. Deaton actually sounded confident as he told Peter to leave one final time. Stiles felt like cheering as he strained his hearing to listen to Peter's retreat. The dread quickly replaced his cheer as Peter spoke before he left, knowing that Stiles would hear it.

"There are others who can help me get what I want Stiles. More innocent and far more vulnerable."

"Scott.." Stiles breathed out in alarm as he rose from his crouch, digging in his pockets for his phone, except he didn't have it. Screw it, he need to get to Scott quickly. He couldn't waist time looking for a phone when Peter was threatening Scott and Derek taken by hunters.

"Deaton, man. I'd love to stay, but I have to jet, got stuff to do, ya' know. So just…bill me for the…work, you did and I'll-"

Deaton stopped Stiles with a shake of his hand and a hand on Stiles' still bare chest. What was with this guy and touching? No one but his dad, Derek and Scott really touch Stiles and he was beginning to feel extreme annoyance at having the man's scent on him. He already had enough of that from when the vet was tending to his bullet wound.

"Not yet." Deaton insisted. "He could still be out there."

Stiles glared and shook his head. "He's not, I can't hear him. Look Deaton, I know you're a vet and everything and you're not really normal yourself, but my best friend is in danger and I'd like to get to him before the vindictive psychopath who turned my life into a Tuesday night Horror Movie does." Removing Deaton's hand from his chest, Stiles made his way past him paying no mind to the question the man shot at his back.

He ran all the way to Scott's, almost collapsing in relief when he saw his own car outside. That's right, he'd left his car in the middle of the road after interrupting Peter and Ms. McCall's 'date'. Stiles shivered involuntarily at the thought before making his way into the house uninvited. Vampires got nothing on Werewolves. Seriously, someone should teach the girl from Twilight how to pick her men. Not only did she pick the cold one, but it wasn't like the Vampire was all that nice either. And a dependent relationship like theirs was just unhealthy. – Stiles cut away from his thoughts when he spotted Scott on the couch eating cereal.

"Oh thank god…" Stiles breathed making Scott started and turn around sharply.

"Holy shit dude can you just not do that crap anymore?!" Scott scowled before standing up to put his half-full bowl of cereal on the counter. "Why'd you never tell me about Derek?" He still in front of Stiles with his hands crossed over his chest and a hard glare on his face. Stiles was, unsurprisingly, flabbergasted.

"W-what?" He stuttered and that right there was Scott's opening.

"You told me you were over Lydia. You said you might be bi, you weren't sure, but never once did you tell me you and Derek Hale were dating." Scott didn't back down and Stiles could smell the slightest hint of anger and betrayal on the boy.

"We aren't….we aren't really-"

"You were kissing him Stiles!" Scott called out accusingly. Stiles flinched and shot his best friend his own glare.

"Who the hell told you that?"

"Jackson called me yesterday. Said he owed you a favor for saving him and told me you were shot. I called your phone and Deaton picked up." Scott answered honestly, keeping to the minimal.

Stiles huffed and cursed Jackson under his breath before looking Scott in the eye and crossing his own arms. "We aren't dating. We haven't even…we haven't talked about it." He looked away as he admitted this. "We promised we would…talk after everything with the Alpha was resolved." Stiles frowned as he was reminded again that Peter would be coming for his friend…maybe even his dad and Derek was captured by the hunters. "Look Scott, I didn't tell you because I knew you'd handle it like you've handled everything else from the very beginning. Poorly. Derek and I haven't even defined this thing yet, and there are much more important things to take care of."

Scott spent a long moment looking pensive before he let his arms drop and his head hang. "Okay, okay. I believe you. What happened anyways? Jackson said Derek was about to kill him but then hunters came and you were shot. He didn't know anything else."

Stiles nodded before he turned and started to climb the stairs, headed for Scott's room.

"Derek was captured by the Hunters. He went out into the hail of gunfire so that I had the time to get away."

Scott's brows furrowed as he opened the door for the both of them. Sitting down on his bed as Stiles pulled out the computer chair and straddled it. "I'm sorry to say this man, but that doesn't sound like Derek was captured. That sounds like Derek's dead."

Stiles snarled before shaking his head. "No. He's not dead. I can feel it, I haven't lost my pack yet. Besides, the hunters want Derek to lead them to the Alpha. They need him alive for that."

Scott nodded and smiled a bit. "Okay see, Derek's alive. So just let them do what they will and they'll take down Peter for you."

Stiles growled low and flashed his eyes at Scott, frowning further when the boy recoiled back. "I'm not leaving Derek to be tortured Scott!" Stiles exclaimed before sliding the computer chair back and hitting his head against the closed door. "Besides, Peter is going to start going after other people, turning other people. He said that I wasn't the only one who could help him…he's threatening everyone Scott. You, my dad, anyone and everyone in this town and I can't take Peter or protect this town on my own. We need to find Derek before Peter does."

"Stiles who says Derek is going to protect anyone. He was going to kill Jackson, he joined Peter's side Stiles. Even if you find him he won't-" Scott insisted before Stiles interrupted him.

"He wasn't going to kill anyone." Stiles forced out slowly. "And I am not going to let my pack die."

"He's not your pack Stiles. He helped you out a little, that doesn't mean anything. He hasn't even defined what kind of relationship you two have, obviously you aren't important to him, can't you just think of letting him die? For me?" Scott was whining now and Stiles wanted to rip his to pieces but he was distracted by the squeaking of breaks outside.

"Your mom just got home." Stiles said as he strained to listen to Mellissa outside. She was on the phone obviously leaving a message to Peter about the ruined date. Stiles could feel his inside turning in regret and guilt and empathy.

"Is she okay? What's she doing?" Scott asked looking worried and curious. Stiles didn't really know how to answer, but he didn't want to lie.

"Crying…" He admitted.

They looked at each other sadly as Stiles listen to the strong woman outside belittle herself and cry softly.

"Why did he go after my mom?" Scott asked softly, feeling anger and guilt for ruining her first date in years. He hated Peter more and more for this.

Stiles took a deep breath before letting it out slowly. "If he was planning on going after you to get me to join his pack, he needed to get you to join too. I think he'd figure you would fold easier if your mom was already his."

Scott closed his eyes and fell back into the bed, pressing the heals of his hands against his eyes hard. He looked stressed and worn out and Stiles felt guilty.

"I'm trying…" Stiles whispered uneasily. "I'm really trying to protect everyone Scott. But I can't do it by myself."

"What about Allison?" Scott asked after a while. Stiles looked up and frowned.

"What about Allison?" Stiles shot back.

"What about her Stiles. If Peter would go through my mom to get to me and then you, what about Allison? She's a Hunter's daughter and my…Would he go after her?"

Stiles shrugged a bit, not really knowing the answer to that. "I guess so. Peter he…he thinks that it was the Argents. I saw it when he dug his claws into my neck, he wants revenge against everyone who was a part in the Hale fire and the Argents seem to be big players."

Scott's eyes widened and he looked startled. "Then what if the person he was planning to use to find Derek isn't me…but Allison?"

Stiles looked at his skeptical but Scott didn't give him a chance to speak as he stood up and started pacing. "She's in danger…" Scott said quietly. Stiles rolled his eyes and looked down at his hands. God Derek…Where are you? He needed Derek…he needed his mat-…his Pack.

A word scratched at the edge of his mind, a word he wasn't familiar with but one that pressed into him unconsciously. It didn't matter, it wasn't important. What was important was keeping everyone safe. Yes…even Allison Argent.

"Okay Scott, come here. We're going to make a plan." Stiles pulled on Scott's hand and together they came up with a way to find Derek and protect Allison. A way to hopefully save everyone. If he and Derek couldn't do it themselves, then they would get some help.

Stiles told Scott everything he thought he knew and gave him layouts to follow in case of certain events. It wasn't their best work, but it would hold up to scrutiny if things got dicey. But it all depended on the Honor of a Hunter's code.

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With no clues to Derek's whereabouts, Stiles resigned himself to making an appearance at school and putting the pieces together himself. He wasn't expecting to be bombarded by Scott in the locker room though.

"I can't go to the Formal." Scott looked on the edge of panic and Stiles wanted to bang his head against the lockers until he inflicted brain damage, but he'd heal too fast.

"Scott, you were supposed to watch Allison while I looked for Derek!" Stiles hissed.

"I know, I know." Scott closed his eyes. "But I'm failing three classes. Coach said it was either the formal or the team and he wasn't going to let me quit the team."

Stiles flailed in disbelief as their plan fell apart before it was even fully formed.

Scott shocked him when the human's eyes popped open and he looked open mouthed at Stiles. "Jackson!" Scott exclaimed.

In seconds he and Scott were standing in front of Jackson, asking for a favor.

"You want me to take her to the Formal?" Jackson looked about as confused as Stiles felt. Everything was getting tangled up and he didn't even have Derek to help him sort it out. Instead he had Scott, who's only real worry lie with Allison Argent and his mother. Why had he ever thought that Scott would actually help him?

"I don't want you to. I need you to." Scott admitted. Stiles just leaned against the lockers and crossed his arm over is chest. He knew how this was going to end one way or the other.

"Screw you." Jackson responded. "You know what, screw you two." The arrogant human boy pointed to both Stiles and Scott with his middle and pointer finger. "In fact, screw each other." He looked straight at Stiles as he said that last word and Stiles felt himself bristling.

"I saved your life Whittemore, but that doesn't mean I won't end it." It was an empty threat, but Jackson didn't need to know that. Still, the human didn't even bother looking worried.

"You left me for dead." Jackson argued.

"I got shot for you." Stiles insisted.

"Oh yeah." The human goaded. "Show me the bullet wound."

"It healed you dick, every wound I get heals because you know what I am?" Stiles let his eyes flash and bared his sharp fangs at Jackson who took a step back. Stiles smelled the fear but Jackson did a good job hiding it.

Scott put a hand on Stiles chest and gave him a look before turning back to Jackson. "Look, just do it for Allison. She is in serious danger. Like around the clock danger and she needs someone to keep an eye on her at the dance."

Jackson faltered for only a moment before his resolve rose again. "You know what, just have her dad do it. He's the one actually equipped to handle this."

Stiles surged forward and snarled. "How are we supposed to do that and keep him from finding out about me?" It wasn't a question, it was a point, but it didn't matter. Jackson wasn't backing down.

"Not my problem." Jackson answered as he made a move to walk past Scott. Stiles was honestly reaching his breaking point, he was surprised though when Scott slammed his hand against the locker to stop Jackson.

"You're her friend too." Scott glared. "You are. All that time that you spent with her to get to me, you can't tell me that you didn't get to know her and like her. It's Allison. It's impossible not to like her." Stiles would disagree except that Jackson actually looked like he agreed with it so he kept silent as Scott kept going. "You can't tell me that you wouldn't care if she got hurt."

Jackson shook his head and shrugged. "What if I get hurt?"

Scott sighed. "Then it's worth it."

Oh! Wrong thing to say. Stiles thought as Jackson seemed to close down all over again.

"Not to me."

And Stiles has had enough.

When Jackson went to get past them, Stiles' hand shot out and grabbed his collar. He didn't just flash his eyes this time, he allowed the bright yellow color to seep in and stay as he dropped his fangs to their full length and even let his claws out for good measure.

Jackson's resolve didn't last nearly as long against that argument.

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Things went worse than expected when Allison insisted on Lydia asking Stiles to the formal. Stiles wasn't even expecting to go, but he wasn't going to say 'no' to Lydia. Still, he needed to find Derek before Peter found him and before the hunters killed him.

Stiles could feel the pain like a dull ache in the back of his head now, not nearly as extreme when he is conscious. Derek wasn't being treated like a king, that's for sure, but Stiles couldn't track him down and he was starting to panic. Peter was popping up everywhere Scott went, and Scott was everywhere Allison was trying to watch over her. So Stiles still wasn't sure which one was his target. Things were starting to cave in quickly, but the worse was being away from Derek…

Taking care of his friends, preparing for a winter Formal that he didn't even want to go to, dress shopping with two girls like everything was okay…Stiles wanted to cry or kill, and he wasn't sure which one would win.

"Look Lydia, can you just pick one. This isn't a Twenty-four hour Macy's." He was getting annoyed quickly with the human girl treating him like a slave. He tried to be nice at first, following along like a dog, but then the dull ache started, the pain that told them that Derek was being tortured and he wasn't talking.

The strawberry blond genius took one glance at him and frowned before she put the dresses in her arms down on the chair outside of the changing rooms.

"Alright. Spill. What's wrong with you?" Lydia crossed her arms over his chest and stared at him like she expected something. It made Stiles bristle

"I don't know what you're talking about." He stated, not looking her in the eye. Maybe that was his first mistake.

"You aren't looking at me like you used to." She made the observation aloud, not caring is Stiles heard her or not. "You aren't falling all over yourself to impress me or get my attention. Either you are satisfied now and don't like me…or you've found somebody else."

Stiles tried to remain calm, but the stress and worry were eating him up. He pressed his lips and looked away, keeping his growl in his throat. Lydia watch all this with a critical eye.

"Who is she? Is she better looking than me? That why you like her?"

Stiles furrowed his brows and debated this for a second. Lydia was loyal, but she was the queen of gossip. Whatever Stiles said to her had the potential to become public knowledge. Was he okay with that? He didn't have to name names, and he honestly wanted to talk, it was unusual for Stiles to keep a secret, not that he couldn't, but that most of the time he wants to let it out. He'd told Scott of course, and Jackson knows…but Lydia…Could he tell her?

"I see the gears in your head working. If you don't want to tell me, fine. But if you tell me I won't go out telling everyone. Allison's making me go to Formal with you because she thinks you are still obsessed with me. It'd be nice to know if you aren't." Lydia went back to looking through her dresses, acting uninterested, but Stiles could hear her heart beating in anticipation of some juicy secret and the scent of her curiosity. She'd never cared about him before, but she knew him.

Even if he didn't love her like he had before, he wanted her as a friend. He always sort of had.

"Fine." He said. "I'm not. Obsessed with you I mean, not anymore. I…you're right. I sort of found someone knew." Stiles needed to decide how far into this he would go. How much he would tell. He actually managed a smile though when Lydia set everything down and turned to listen to his every word.

"We're….in a relationship I guess, but it's never been defined. We both have a lot of things on our plate right now and we mutually agreed that this…thing we have would be put in the back burner until everything was back to normal." He looked away as he thought about Derek. The pain had stopped for a few minutes, probably interrogation, but he knew it would start again soon. He honestly wasn't sure how much punishment Derek could take and his insides curled into a ball at the thought of his mate…Pack-mate. Yeah Pack-mate in pain.

Lydia's eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms against her chest again, holding one hand against her mouth. "We…you never say 'she' or 'her'. It's like you're avoiding it." Her eyes are shining and Stiles already knows that she knows.

He sighed and let his head fall before he bobbed it up and down. "Yup, it's what you think. We…I mean…he is a…well he." Stiles blushed and brought a hand up to scratch at the back of his head, he knew he was acting stupid, but this wasn't Scott who wouldn't care or even his dad who…didn't even know anything. This was Lydia, a girl he was in love with just a few months or so ago.

Lydia though, was smiling. Wide and fierce but no mocking. Not judging him. Of course not. Her boyfriend's best friend is Danny…

"Who is he? Is it Danny? I didn't know Danny had a boyfriend he never mentioned you or talked about you…" She was in deep thought again, but Stiles couldn't hold back the bark of laughter that was a bit too loud for the changing room at Macy's.

She looked at him with her eyebrows drawn together, waiting for the explanation she no doubt expected to come. Stiles rolled his eyes but he was smiling. Gossiping like a girl, god he felt so gay it wasn't even funny.

"No, it's not Danny. He's older than us." Stiles wasn't about to tell her that the obsession he had with her got transferred to Derek Hale, a suspect in the murders of his sister and everyone related to the Hale House Fire. He really should have thought before he spoke though.

Lydia's eyes went wide and she put a hand over his open mouth. "Is he married?" She asked, now looking very judgmental. Stiles snorted at picturing Derek married. That bad-boy look would not last long with kids that's for sure.

"No Lydis, he's not married. He's like early twenties." Actually, now that he thought about it, he didn't even know how old Derek was. "He's not a creeper, or a murderer, or a pedophile, or a cradle-robber. We haven't done anything, not really. We've just kissed and held hands and-" Beat the shit out of each other… he finished in his mind. Lydia didn't look convinced though.

"So what's so great about him? Is he loaded? Good looking? What? What made you choose him over me?" She was honestly curious, that was in her every move, but Stiles was surprised to smell the spicy rise of jealousy in her. Was it because she lost a faithful servant or did she ever really care?

Stiles shook his head of those thoughts and turned his mind's eye to Derek. He started to speak without noticing.

"He's good looking alright. Rough and bad-boy with scruff on his face and a perpetual glare. He didn't smile very often, not when we first met but things have changed a lot since then. He helped me when I needed the help and we sort of bonded. He's lost a lot in his life and it made him cold and distant but he's not…really that way." Stiles held his hands up and shrugged. He didn't know how else to explain Derek. "I don't know about the money, but he's smart. He's not a genius but he's hearts in the right place. He's loyal, almost to the point of self-harm." He winced as he thought about Derek joining Peter. "But no matter what he does, he does it because he thinks it's the right thing to do."

As he talked, Lydia stared, looking from one eye to the other and then down to his mouth, watching his hands flail as he searched for the right words. She was analyzing not only his words but his actions, and Stiles knew what outcome she would arrive at. He wasn't surprised when she spoke, cutting over his ranting.

"You love him."

Hearing the words out loud, spoken by someone other than himself, someone who didn't even know everything but could see that one fact plainly, it did sort of startle Stiles into silence. Lydia only stared as he did that too.

It took a while before he nodded his head slowly, looking her in the eyes with a soft smile.

She smiled back, for a second it was in understanding, before the understanding was gone and she was back to her dresses. "Go find Allison. She needs to try this one, its perfect for her skin."

Stiles took a moment to watch her as she messed with the dresses she was going to try out and the ones she would make Allison try out. For a moment he felt a warmth invade his heart. A warmth he'd felt towards her before but one that felt so much different now. He'd talked to her about Derek…and she understood. Not even Scott understood, even though he knew the whole situation.

With a rueful shake of his head, Stiles walked away to go find Allison, only to catch the scent of Peter as he came closer.

"You're not here alone are you? Shopping for dresses with friends."

Allison! Stiles rushed a little faster towards the awkward conversation, passing by Scott who was panicking behind a manikin display looking at Peter and Allison with worry. The second he saw Stiles, he relaxed. "Go! I didn't know what to do to get her away, I wasn't even supposed to be here!" Scott whispered. It was true, Allison had asked Stiles to come alone, specifically requesting that he not bring Scott. To be fair, he didn't bring Scott, he just told him about it.

"Hey! Allison!" Stiles forced a wide smile as he interrupted the werewolf and his prey. Peter's smile was more of a pleasant smirk and Stiles wanted to punch him. "Come on, Lydia found some dresses for you to try out." He grabbed her hand without hesitation, looking Peter in the eye and growled low before quickly pulling the confused but grateful girl along.

As they walked away, Stiles heard Peter laugh, mocking him in a tone only his werewolf ears could catch.

"Your lucks going to run out eventually Stiles…"

It was true…and they both knew it.

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That luck run out the second Jackson did.

The Formal brought with it the return of Allison and Scott's relationship but it also brought the destruction of everything else. Maybe even the very relationship it was trying to save.

"Don't hurt her."

Stiles growled low as his eyes flashed. Face to face with Peter as they both crouched over Lydia.

"Then tell me where Derek is." Peter countered, smirking at the beta he created with Lydia's blood on his lips. Stiles was going to be sick. The smell of her blood hung in the air like rain clouds. Peter had bitten her.

"If I knew where Derek was I would have found him myself." Stiles bit out, trying to reign himself in before he did something that caused both his and Lydia's deaths.

"Oh, very true little beta. You care about my nephew don't you." It wasn't a question but it made Stiles' stomach drop. Peter knew. "That care could lead us right to him. You can sense it can't you, his pain, his presence."

"We're pack." Stiles argued, but Peter's cruel smile shut him up.

"You two are more than pack. It's no wonder Derek didn't tell you. You're so young, you've got your whole life to go looking. It's too bad really, that you two haven't cemented the bond." Peter paused to look down at Lydia. "This one will be a fine addition to the pack though, don't you think Stiles? Such a pretty werewolf. Maybe I'll turn the Argent girl next, or maybe you'd like to have your friend with you? What was his name? Scott?"

Stiles didn't know what came over him, but he howled into the air and slammed into Peter, catching the older wolf by surprise enough to get him away from Lydia. He wouldn't be as fast as the Alpha, not with Lydia's weight on his back, but that was fine, he just needed her safe.

He grabbed her and took off, not stopping when he heard the enraged roar of Peter as the man transformed and raced after him. He was fast in his beta form, faster than Derek but maybe not faster than Peter.

As he kept running, Stiles howled, the sound weakened when he couldn't hold onto it. It didn't matter, reinforcements came either way.

The growl that followed wasn't wolf, it was a car's engine. The hunters Jackson had talked to were here.

Peter didn't run, not right away. The large mass of the Alpha's form slammed into his back, claws ripping at his side brutally as he flew forward, trying to hold onto Lydia as he used his body to cushion her fall. After that Peter ran, but he ran in the direction of the school.

"S-Scott!" Stiles yelled as his voice staggered on him. He laid Lydia down as the hunters came closer. When the cars stopped and doors opened and shut, Stiles looked up to Chris Argent staring at him with a gun aimed at his head.

"I'm surprised. I honestly thought the wolf was Scott. I didn't expect you Stiles."

Stiles didn't answer. He looked down at Lydia, checking her for injuries, but all there was was the bite Peter had dealt. Stiles looked up and glared. "I don't care if you kill me." Stiles grit out. "But I'm going to save my friends."

Without hesitation, Stiles charged forward, straight at Argent who took several steps back but didn't shoot. If Stiles dodged, the bullet would hit Lydia. Stiles didn't care, he knew Argent wouldn't shoot. Despite what he did, Argent wasn't a killer. He didn't know why he thought so, but he did. So instead of charging the hunter, Stiles pivoted around him, running at full speed into the woods before the hunters even started shooting. He needed to find Derek, he couldn't do this alone.

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The howl startled both Scott and Allison as they stood by two school buses. Allison gasped and pressed herself against Scott, looking around herself wildly.

"Allison!" Scott called as he tried to pull her back towards the school. He knew who it was, but a howl from Stiles could only mean trouble. He was surprised when Allison spoke up.

"Derek? But, but how did he get out? We-" She cut herself off as she looked at Scott. He stared at her in disbelief and surprise. She knew.

"How do you know about Derek?" It really wasn't the time for the question but he didn't care. If she knew about Derek than did she know about Stiles?

"I..I-" Allison didn't get the chance to answer, the growl of an animal stopped her.

Behind Scott at the back end of the bus, stood Peter Hale.

Scott was near panic, he needed to reach Stiles, he need to protect Allison, he needed to get her safe. Scott didn't stumble as he pushed her towards the bus doors, pushing her inside as Peter came closer.

"Close the door, don't let him in." Scott said to her before turning around and facing Peter.

"Now now Scott." Peter breathed. There was blood and his face and Scott didn't know if it was Stiles. Was that why he howled? "You think bus doors can stop me? I think I proved myself against that particular obstacle once already."

Scott could feel his heart pounding and his lungs seizing on him. His asthma kicking in at the wrong time.

"Come on Scott, I'm not going to hurt you? I'm here to talk, that's all."

It didn't matter, Peter was interrupted. The hunter's cars were back, one at each end of the busses. Peter snarled in anger and roared at the cars before wolfing out completely.

No one reacted fast enough as Peter advanced on Scott.

In the blink of an eye Peter and Scott were gone.

 

A/N: Hey, sorry for the delay folks, I was trying to see if I wanted to put the last two chapters together or separately, and then my comp froze up and I had to take it to my aunt so she could fix it without deleting all of my files. Also, my Beta seems to have ditched me. If ANYONE actually has the time and would be interested in being a Beta for this story, please send me a message. I know people get annoyed with all the errors, I do too, but I really don't have the time. If I spent my time correcting what I wrote, I wouldn't have time to write anything new :/. Thank you all very much and hang on for the ending, it's going to be a good one


	12. Episode Twelve: Code-Breaker

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Twelve: Code Breaker

When Peter let him go, Scott found himself in the middle level of a parking lot building with his back against one of the concrete pillars. He was scared to death, but he pushed it down. Pushed down everything but what was happening right now. Stiles couldn't save them, not here and not now.

"What do you want from me? There's nothing I can do to help you." Scott called out as he stared daggers into the back of Peter's jacket. The big werewolf hadn't moved since they arrived, standing with his head bowed and his hands splayed on the back of a silver car.

"On the contrary Scott, you could be the only thing that makes Stiles bend. Well you and Derek, but let's face it, Stiles has Derek wrapped around his little finger." Peter still hadn't moved as he talked, but that was fine. Scott felt completely aright with talking to the guys back, in fact he quite preferred that than looking at the man's face.

"He's not here right now is he? Then why do you need me?" Scott needed to learn to keep his mouth shut. Not that it would be very affective after he'd already opened it. Peter's head whipped around and suddenly he was crouched down looking Scott in the eye. The human boy couldn't keep himself from jerking back, hitting his own head against the pillar behind him.

"You are the bait Scott." Peter explained with a smile. "Stiles, Allison Argent, you are import to a few key people in this game don't you think? Too bad you're the only one who can't protect himself." Finally Peter backed off and Scott wheezed to get his breathe under control. He couldn't panic, he couldn't go into an asthma attack now. "For now we wait. Stiles will find Derek, and I will find them."

Scott swallowed thickly and wondered exactly where he fit into Peter's plan.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

There was a burning in his chest. A need to see his mate, to see Derek. He needed to find Derek but he didn't know how. All he could feel was Derek's pain, Derek's agony. How was he going to find the other half of his pack?

A wolf howls to signal his location to the rest of the pack. The reading Stiles had done that first night, the first full moon, on the day when Derek came and helped him. The information that would now help Derek.

Stiles wasn't sure where to go, but he knew where the highest point in Beacon Hills was. If he was going to find Derek, if he was going to howl for Derek there was no better place. He bolted the whole way there, keeping his breathing easy and trying to calm his nerves. He needed to convince himself that this was the right thing to do, that Derek would answer, because there was no other way.

When he reached the peak at the edge of Beacon Hills, he took one look at the moon before he threw his head back and let the instinct drive him.

His call was loud, a slight whine to it that Stiles didn't understand but he didn't care. His lungs were burning but he didn't cut the howl off. Derek needed to hear it, it needed to reach Derek so that his mate…-pack…fuck it- his soul mate would respond.

One long and loud howl was good enough for a call. So Stiles stood silently, waiting for the return of it. Waiting to hear Derek call to him back.

He sat there waiting for a few minutes, wondering if he'd need to howl again when it rang.

The vibrations seemed to echo into his body before the sound ever reached his ears but he knew instantly who and where it was coming from. Derek had answered. Joy and elation flooded his nerves and then he was running. Full force in the direction the howl radiated from, the direction that would lead him to Derek.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~~!~!~!~!~!~!~!

Scott wanted to pull out his phone and call someone, let Allison know he was safe, but he didn't want Peter to take it away. Not that it mattered, he wasn't really sure where he was.

When Peter jerked up, turning his head in different directions quickly, Scott jumped in surprise, but then he stilled, listening himself as a wolf's howl pierced the silence.

"Looks like Stiles found what he was looking for." Peter said with a smirk. He turned back and looked to Scott, the smirk turning sinister. "Now it's my turn."

Scott wanted to back away as Peter advanced, but all he did was dig his shoulder deeper into the pillar. Soon it didn't matter, Peter's hand was on his shoulder, sharp claws sinking into the skin and making Scott cry.

"Welcome to the Pack, Scott."

Teeth bore down on his shoulder and Scott screamed at the pain before it was replaced with fire. Like a venom sinking into his systems, Scott withered and screamed trying to push Peter away. He knew it was too late, but he needed to get those teeth out of him, it hurt, it hurt too much.

"By tomorrow, you'll be dead or you'll be like us. I'm sure we can find a place for you in the pack. You'll be a strong one, I'm sure." Peter's voice echoed in his head as he fell sideways, pressing his uninjured shoulder into the cold floor. Scott didn't know when, but Peter disappeared, taking consciousness with him.

!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~~

Scott struggled with his jacket as the wound itched. He couldn't believe it…this couldn't have happened…what was he going to do?

"Follow the plan. We're going to need help when everything goes down, but everyone needs to see the whole board. If the truth is hiding, then someone is going to lose and there is a high probability that it'll be us." Stiles voice reminded Scott. So the boy put the bite at the back of his mind and walked to the hospital. Even if the bite was healing, he needed to get to a car and his instincts were telling him that his mother's hospital was the closest thing to him.

It actually didn't take him long to get to the hospital. It was when he was there that things got difficult.

Lydia was bitten, Sheriff Stilinski was going crazy looking for Stiles who had been Lydia's date, and Chris Argent was there to confront him. It's just his luck that Chris gets to him just as he gets to Jackson's car keys.

"Where is Stiles?" Chris demanded as he held Scott against the wall. He didn't see the bite, no one had, his jacket covered it but the blood was there, unmistakable.

"At the Hale house." Scott answered honestly, hoping to placate the man enough to make him listen. "Peter wants to end this where it started. He wants to kill Kate in the same house she burned down."

Chris Argent scoffed and sneered. "I hate to turn down popular rumor but we didn't start that fire." Chris hadn't let go of him yet, and Scott could feel the anger in him pulsing but he wasn't there yet, he wasn't a wolf just yet.

"You guys didn't. But she did. Even the Sheriff connected the dots and guess where those dots all landed Mr. Argent. Everyone Kate talked to recognize the Argent family pendent. The same necklace she gave to Allison for her birthday."

Scott struggled to breathe, but as Chris drew back, Scott took a deep breath and continued. "He's going to kill her, but he may not be in time to save Stiles Mr. Argent…Stiles is my best friend, and when he got bitten I wasn't there for him. He learned how to control himself and he's using what was forced on him to protect the people he loves and the loved ones of the ones he loved. He's done so much to protect Allison, but I need to ask for your help…I need you to protect him."

Chris Argent didn't answer. He took another step back and looked at Jackson who coward on the exam table of the room the three men had pushed them into. The hunter didn't say one word as he turned and left.

Scott sighed before shaking his head and grabbing Jackson's wrist. "Come on, we have to hurry. We need to get to Stiles' house and then out to the preserves. I need to save my best friend."

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

Stiles found Derek in minutes, pulling doors open and pushing his way through. He didn't know exactly where he was, he wasn't paying attention to his surrounding; he was focused on Derek's call, the sound of his howl calling him home. When he pushed the last door open and looked inside, Derek's form was chained up to a wall, his body slightly pale and sweaty, the scent of pain and anger filling the room like burning incents.

"Derek!" Stiles cried out as Derek looked up. His eyes were dull, but they seemed to relax as they fell on Stiles.

"Stiles." Derek breathed back.

Instantly Stiles had barreled into Derek's chest, wrapping his arms around the strong frame, not even caring about the electric pad against the right side of Derek's stomach. Derek smelled like a lot of different things. Sweat, pain, regret, guilt, anger, resentment, hatred, sorrow, fear, remorse, betrayal, female, wood, iron, silver, fire, burn, and last but not least Derek. Stiles didn't care about anything else but that last one as he buried his nose into Derek's chest.

"Stiles." Derek breathed, one arm coming around the other wolf's lanky filled out frame. That's when Stiles noticed that the other one was still tied up.

"Sorry, sorry." Stiles said as he reached up and broke Derek's restraint. Derek staggered forward a bit at having to hold his own weight, but Stiles grabbed him with no problem. "We have to get out of here. Peter is going to go after the Argents tonight, he bit Lydia, he tried to go after Scott, and I can't do this alone Derek, I can't. I need you…"

Derek's hand came up to his cheek before lips were being pressed into his own, silencing him affectively.

"He's not going after the Argents. He's going after Kate."

Stiles didn't argue. He'd come up with that conclusion some time ago.

"We have to stop him Derek." Stiles insisted, lending his shoulder to Derek who hugged him against the unwounded side.

"We can just let him do what he is planning Stiles. Kate deserves what she gets, she's the one who-" Stiles smacked Derek in the stomach, cutting off his words as the wolf groaned in pain.

"I know she is, but he is the one who killed Laura. He called her back here, sent her pictures of a deer with a spiral on it. He brought her back to taker her power, it was all planned Derek." They worked their way out from the cellar and stumbled a bit at the top.

"I know…" Derek breathed. Stiles nodded, not wanting to say anything about that.

"Then let's stick to our original plan Derek. You need to kill Peter. Take the Alpha powers."

"And what if I end up like him Stiles?" Derek argued as they made their way back to the Hale House, the cellar or bunker or wherever they had held Derek was near the Hale house, right outside it too.

"You're better than he ever was Derek." Stiles smiled, leaning Derek against a tree before pressing himself against Derek's chest and wrapping his arms around the bigger wolf. "You'll have me in your pack. My Alpha."

Derek's arms came around his shoulders and they rested there. Enough for Derek to catch his breath before he stole another kiss and pushed himself off the tree.

"Fine. But we do this together. Don't rush in if I-" Derek broke off with a grunt as an arrow lodged itself in his shoulder. Stiles' eyes widened and he searched for the attacker, only to come face to face with Allison and Kate.

"Alright, now the leg." Kate whispered, and Stiles growled.

"Allison!"

But it didn't help. The arrow sailed true, hitting Derek square in the thigh and sending him down.

"Stiles run!" Derek yelled, trying to push him away, but he had run the first time, he wasn't about to run away again.

"Allison! Stop!"

The flash arrow came next and Stiles was blinded, his eyes stinging as tears forced their way out. "Allison!" but for now it didn't matter. Derek was up and picking Stiles up by the collar of his white dress shirt and dragging him away.

"Come on!" Derek called, but as Stiles got his feet under him, Derek stumbled, falling to the ground while pushing Stiles on at the same time. "Go!"

But Stiles didn't leave, he crouched over Derek and growled at Kate.

This was it. One way other another it would end here. Tonight.

"Oh god, aren't you two cute." Kate's voice mocked them as he walked closer, a gun in hand and Allison only steps behind. Stiles' eyes struggled to come back into focus, but he could hear their every move. "I didn't expect this Derek, I thought you liked them older." Her laugh was unkind and when Stiles' vision came back the first thing he saw was the barrel of her gun.

Stiles glared at her, defiant and angry, until his eyes went to Allison.

The brunet girl had a hand on Kate's arm, a frown on her lips before she opened her mouth to speak. "You said we just needed to capture them." Allison was hesitating, and Stiles was grateful for that at least.

"Allison." Stiles called, the growl gone from his voice and his features fading back into his natural human, but he didn't move from his place protecting Derek. There had been something in the arrows, Stiles could smell it but it wasn't wolf's bane.

The beautiful eyes of the youngest Argent flicked to Stiles and her expression seemed to harden. She looked accusing and Stiles couldn't understand why. He smelled the fear on her, the hatred even, but not at him. That baffled him even more.

"Don't beg puppy, you're so much cuter when you're angry." She aimed below Stiles and pulled the trigger, the shot hitting Derek in the shoulder. Stiles' roar drowned out the grunt of pain and his eyes blazed as he snarled and howled at Kate and Allison. Allison's eyes widen and she tried to pull on her aunt's arm.

"Kate! Kate don't!" The words fell on deaf ears as Kate pushed Allison back, knocking the girl off balance. Stiles allowed only a glace as Allison fell before his eyes were back on Kate.

He was going to die. Like this, crouched above Derek protecting the man he loved...protecting his mate. He was going to die, but he wasn't going alone. Stiles tensed as he readied himself for the shot. The second Kate pulled the trigger, Stiles would take the bullet on his shoulder and pounce on her, ripping her throat before she understood that she was going to die. He was okay with dying for Derek, but he wasn't going to leave her here to haunt his friends.

"I really love those gold eyes." Kate smiled. Stiles heard the scrape of metal as she slowly pulled the trigger back.

"Kate!"

Her attention was taken from Stiles as the voice of Chris Argent rung out. Stiles had a moment of shock where he relaxed himself against Derek, both relieved and surprised that he was still alive.

"I know what you did." Chris said. He stopped a couple of paces away from Kate, his sincere eyes flicking to Stiles only for a second. "Put the gun down."

Stiles wasn't sure who to trust at the moment. The barrel of Kate's gun never wavered even as her attention was drawn fully to her brother. Her voice was weak as she responded.

"I did what I was told to do." It was a lame excuse, even Kate didn't believe it.

"No one asked you to murder innocent people." Chris argued. His attention went to the Hale house, the ashes of a family that his sister ruined. "There were children in that house. Ones who were human." His sincere gaze was crippling. He was an honest man, one who wanted to do what was right, Stiles saw this for the first time. "Look what you're doing now! You're holding a gun to a sixteen year old boy! No proof he spilt human blood. We go by the code."

In an instant, the shutters came down on Kate's face. Her eyes turned dull and her expression dead. She didn't care.

"Nous chassons ceux qui nous chasse."

Stiles didn't know French, but he didn't need to. Allison translated the words under her breath, a whisper of wonder in her tone. "We hunt those who hunt us."

None of this mattered to Kate. She dubbed Chris, uninteresting and turned away once again focused on Stiles. Her finger pulled slowly on the trigger again and Stiles braced himself a second time for the original plan.

Again, the tension escalated as Chris pulled out his own gun. Taking aim at his own sister.

That caught Kate's attention once more.

"Put the gun down." He insisted. His sincere eyes going hard in the blink of an eye.

She turned her body now instead of just her head. Facing him fully even as the gun remained steady.

Chris grit his teeth when she didn't bother to follow his order. Aiming just above her shoulder, he pulled the trigger, the shot cause Stiles to start slightly.

Kate seemed surprised and Allison reeked of fear.

"Before I put you down."

That seemed to do it. Kate lowered her gun and a minute after her, so did Chris.

Stiles allowed himself to fall against Derek's chest. Burring his nose against Derek's scent and listening to the strong beat of his heard. Derek wasn't conscious, but he was alive. Even the bullet wound was healing. Thank god the bullet went straight through.

The tension slowly faded, but it didn't last long.

The loud creek of the Hale House front door had everyone tensing again, because that could only be one person.

"Allison, get back." Chris' gun came up again, the door was the new target and even Kate was taking aim.

Something rose in Stiles chest and he couldn't stay on the ground, protecting Derek or not, his instincts were driving him up. Derek would be okay. Peter had no reason to hurt Derek. The same didn't apply for anyone else.

When Peter came out, he was only a blur of movement in the darkness.

He had all of them turning around in circles to follow the sound of movement, even Stiles couldn't keep up.

The first to fall was Chris. The gun falling from his hands as he dropped. Allison dropped next. Her bow landing far from her. Stiles felt the claws sink into his calf and with a wine, his knees buckled under him and the ground rose up to hit him hard.

Kate was the one left standing and everyone knew why.

"Come on!" She yelled as he turned fast, keeping track of the figure dashing through the shadows. Stiles was struggling with the wound on his leg, willing it to heal faster, but it was a wound inflicted by an Alpha. There was no 'faster'.

Stiles didn't even notice when Peter stopped running and grabbed Kate, throwing her to the porch before he dragged her inside by the throat. The only one with enough strength to run after them was Allison, and she didn't even hesitate.

"Allison!" Stiles tried to call, but it didn't matter. He could get his feet under him enough to chase after her, but he could hear every word from inside.

"She is beautiful Kate. She looks like you. Probably not as damaged." Peter said.

Stiles heard Kate's fearful pants. He could picture Peter's claws digging into her throat. He could picture Allison's face as she stood there, unable to do anything but watch. Helpless.

"Damnit!" Stiles groaned. He was on his knees, but that was the best he could get. All he could think about was how this would ruin Allison. How this would emotionally kill her, maybe so much so that Scott would never have her back. "Come on!" Stiles urged himself to rise, urged his wound to stop burning and heal.

"So I'm going to give you a chance to save her." He heard Peter's voice again. "Apologize." Peter sounded tortured. The mighty Alpha sounded so close to tears. Stiles could smell the anguish from outside the house. "Say you're sorry for decimating my family. For leaving me burned and broken for six years. Say it…" Peter forced the words through his teeth. "And I'll let her live."

Stiles held his breath as he strained to hear it. Kate's words, Kate's apology.

She wasn't going to live. She knew that, Stiles could smell it, but did Allison mean enough to her that she would save the baby Argent's life.

Stiles almost didn't catch the words because of his own heavy and loud heartbeat pounding in his ears, but he did hear it.

"I'm sorry."

The words were whispered, and it didn't sound honest at all, but she had said it. That was surprising in itself. What didn't surprise Stiles was the squelching sound of tearing flesh as Peter tore Kate throat out. Stiles winced and closed his eyes. He needed to heal faster. Needed to protect Allison, keep her safe for Scott. She was important, she was pack, she was Scott's.

Stiles was so lost in pushing himself to heal that he didn't hear Derek until his mate had a hand in his hair.

"Derek!" Stiles gasped, throwing himself into the older wolf's arms and holding on tight.

"Stiles." Derek breathed as he pressed a kiss to Stiles' temple. "Come on, we have to keep to the plan. We need to stop Peter."

Stiles took a deep breath as he let go of Derek and used the older wolf's help to get to his feet. "Let's go my Alpha." Stiles spared a weak smirk before they made their way to the house. They both heard it when Peter spoke again.

"Now I don't know about you Allison. But that apology…didn't sound very sincere."

Before Peter could attack, Stiles and Derek made their way into the room, both of them standing slightly in front of Allison. Peter looked from Stiles to Derek with a bored expression. Derek walked around Peter a bit, so the two Betas could flank the psychopathic Alpha.

"Run." Stiles muttered to Allison. He heard her take off.

Derek's eyes met Stiles' in one second, and the next, they pounced.

Peter used their momentum against them and they were both tossed to opposite sides of the room, but Derek didn't stay down for long. He rushed at Peter, but if anyone knew Derek's fighting style better than Stiles, it was Peter. The Alpha dodged under Derek's oncoming fist and sunk his claws into Derek's chest, throwing him up until Derek's back hit the ceiling. When Derek came down, he hit hard, but Stiles was already at Peter's back.

Stiles jumped on Peter's back, reaching for the Alpha's throat, but he was thrown forward instead, handing hard against Derek.

Briefly, Derek squeezed shoulder, before pushing Stiles up and rising after him.

Without a word, Stiles and Derek charged together. Derek aiming high and Stiles aiming low. Peter caught Derek's fist, basically ignoring Stiles' tackle around his waist. He grabbed the side of Derek's face and pushed the older wolf down until he fell against Stiles who released the grip he'd had on Peter as they went down. The heal of Peter's foot crashed into Derek's back and the grunt echoed in Stiles' ear before the younger wolf reached out and jabbed at Peter's calf with his claws.

Peter growled, losing control of his shift while Derek rolled off of Stiles and hit the back of Peter's knees. Peter went down and Stiles used it to his advantage as he brought his palm up into Peter's chin, sending the Alpha's head snapping back.

Peter's face shifted into a muzzle as he growled, but the shift only lasted a second. He arm lashed out and slashed at Stiles' chest sending the younger Beta backwards, but Derek's hit Peter in the back. Knocking the Alpha forward. Peter shifted part way, losing control of himself as he pushed up from the floor and sprung at Stiles who scurried back, only to have Derek grab Peter around the neck from behind. Peter snarled and rose, slamming his back against the wall until Derek let go.

Peter turned and grabbed Derek, throwing him across the room towards Stiles who stood and braced himself to soften Derek's impact.

They watched together as Peter's form shifted and changed. Back and forth like he didn't have control, slipping between one form and the other as if he was slipping in and out of sanity. It didn't take long for the wolf to win out and the Alpha to take its natural form. Stiles squeezed Derek's form, before laying the breathless man on to floor and rising to rush at the Alpha again. He was no match for the beast alone though.

Stiles was thrown away easily, breaking through the front window until he crashed outside on the fall leafs, winded and wounded.

The Alpha crashed out after him and rough, clawed hands held him by the throat.

Peter's face was rabid, snarling and growling. He was insane. Stiles felt a slight pang of sympathy in his chest for this broken creature. But nothing excused murder.

With a growl of his own, Stiles planted a firm foot on the Alpha's chest and pushed himself away from the massive body, dislodging the grip the Alpha had on him. Stiles flipped before landing on all fours to face the creature again, but headlights caught them both my surprise.

Scott and Jackson's forms were hidden behind the light, but Stiles could smell them, and he could also smell the chemicals he'd kept in his house as the final leg of their plan. He was filled with pride and adoration for his best friend who had stuck to the damn plan even when just about everything was falling down around them.

When Scott threw the Molotov cocktail, no one was expecting the Alpha to actually catch it.

Dread kicked in quick, but it didn't last very long as he saw what lay near him.

"Allison!" He called out, grabbing her bow from the ground beside him and lobbing it at her, watching her set it up with bated breath.

The creature looked as if he was about the throw the self-igniting bomb at her, but her arrow was faster, shattering the glass and letting the mixture out. It caught fire easily, just as it was meant to and Peter went down. For a second, everyone watched in horror as the beast tried to shake the fire off.

Jackson threw his cocktail next, and the impact sent the rest of Peter in flames.

The howl of pain went up sharply and Stiles had to grab his ears. He could feel the pain from that howl. The despair and the fear of the flames. He could feel all of it.

Peter must have moved, although Stiles didn't see it. What he did see was Scott screamed 'no' and jumping in front of the Alpha. Only thing is, Scott's eyes were glowing gold and he was baring long and threatening fangs. Scott hit the Alpha in the chest, sending the beats back as the flames began to eat away at themselves and die out.

Peter's body shifted as the fire died, and no one looked away as he fell to his knees and then finally to the ground. When they were all sure that Peter was dead…everyone turned to Scott.

Holy shit…my best friend is a werewolf… Stiles couldn't help it, the thought came so quickly, but the second it was there, he just wanted to laugh. Too. My best friend is a werewolf TOO. Yeah. And here I was thinking I was so original.

Allison was the only one who moved as Scott looked at his claws in fascinated horror. Scott heard her coming and only spared her a glance before looking away, hiding his eyes from her, trying to hide his face. Stiles didn't know what to feel as Allison cupped Scott's chin and made Scott turn back to her, but he knew that this was important. New wolf or not, Scott wasn't going after Allison and Allison wasn't running away.

Stiles almost wished that some cheesy romantic song was playing in the background as Allison slowly closed in on Scott and Scott slowly shifted back to human. When their lips met in a kiss, Stiles had the unexplainable urge to melt and 'aww', but he held himself back, if only because Derek was finally making his way out of the Hale House silently.

He didn't bother to listen to Allison's declaration of love as he stood and made his way towards Derek.

He let his fingers ghost beside Derek's for a second, unsure if his touch was welcome, but Derek corrected that in an instant as he reached out and grabbed Stiles' hand, holding on so tightly that some bones did break. Stiles knew why though.

Derek was nervous.

Power and a lot of alone time had turned Peter into a madman, and Derek was terrified that he would end up the same. But a pack must always have an Alpha and Derek was the only Hale left in Beacon Hills to take the torch.

Together they stood over a burnt and battered Peter. He looked worse than he had even after the Hale fire, and Stiles didn't know if he could stand to look. When he buried his face into Derek's shoulder, the bigger wolf didn't push him away.

"You've already decided." Peter rasped out from below them. Derek fell to one knee above the man that used to be his uncle and Stiles let him go, placing a hand on his shoulder instead. "I can smell it on you!" Peter growled out and blazing red eyes accused the whole world of what was about to happen.

When Derek raised his claw and gave the killing blow, Stiles could help but gasp.

The change was instant. A pull that Stiles hadn't known was there disappeared in an instant and he felt unreasonably free.

As the life leeched out of Peter, so did the red in his eyes.

When Derek stood and finally looked Stiles in the face, the sad and broken expression was obscured and wronged by glowing blood red.

Pain and sorrow sang around Derek like physical calls, and Stiles couldn't bare it. He wrapped his arms around Derek's neck and forced Derek's face into his shoulder.

"I love you." He breathed out against Derek's ear. "I love you, and I'm proud of you. You did it for a reason. You are my Alpha, my Derek. My mate…" The words left him before he thought better of them, but the second he said it, he felt Derek stiffen.

They hadn't talked about it. Had promised to hash everything out when all of the chaos finally came to an end. But there is was. What they both knew but never said out loud. There was the one word that defied them perfectly. Stiles was filled with equal parts fond affection and dread as he held Derek's stiff body.

"We didn't even get the chance to talk." Derek whispered. It was loud enough that only Stiles would hear him. "I wanted to be the one to claim you first."

Everything inside Stiles seemed to be shocked into hyper awareness at Derek's words, and when Derek pulled back Stiles let him.

The kiss was hard but not rough. It was sure and firm, it was a claim and a promise at once and Stiles could feel himself falling apart as he whimpered in the back of his throat. Derek's hand was strong and sure at the back of his neck, pressing enough to show control, and strength as Derek wrapped his other arm around Stiles' waist and pulled the smaller wolf in.

Stiles was lost, but so was Derek.

The Alpha power hummed like live wire between them and it only amplified the feelings. Relief, happiness, determination, love…lust and longing. God Stiles was going to cum his pants in a second and from the hard press of Derek's erection on his lower stomach, so was the new, big bad Alpha.

The only thing that snapped them out of it, was the police sirens.

Derek pulled back after a soft lingering kiss and looked to where the sound was coming from miles away. Stiles' attention however, zeroed in on his best friend, looking at them with a grimace on his face. That's when shit kicked in again.

Scott was a werewolf. Peter had bitten him too, probably only tonight. Yet Scott had shifted to protect Allison, if Stiles' guess was correcting.

"Derek…" Stiles whispered to get the new Alpha's attention. Derek's attention zeroed to his mate, and Stiles felt warm all over at the expression on the Alpha's face….his Alpha. But all of that took a sudden back seat as he nodded his head to Scott's form as the newly turned werewolf stood there, unsure of what to do now that Allison was in her father's arm and away from him. "I think we've got more to talk about than just us."

Derek didn't say a word, but Stiles understood. He could almost feel what was going through Derek's mind. Another difficult Beta to train. Derek was thinking. But not in a mean way. If anything the feelings Derek had were fond, and that threw Stiles for a loop.

"So, I'm thinking, we got a long way to go." Stiles sighed and his eyes met Scott's. Scott tried to smile, just a little, but there was no joy in it and it saddened Stiles. "He never wanted it you know. Especially since Allison is who she is."

Derek only shrugged as they finally let go of each other and allowed space to fill between them. "Neither did you, but you found a way to cope, a way to be happy. I'm sure in time, he will too. He's just going to need more help than you did."

Stiles smirked at the back-handed complement before he rolled his shoulder and walked towards his best friend.

"Hey man." Stiles said as he neared. Scott only nodded in response. "So…" Stiles pressed on. "Werewolves yeah? You do know that now that you are what you are, and Allison is what she is, you two have just become the modern Romeo and Juliet?"

Scott got a quick and painless smile before it was gone.

"Dude! They both die at the end of that!" Scott argued. Even though, he brought his hand up when Stiles did and when they clasped hands, he pulled Stiles into a hug instead of the usual 'dude clench'. "I'm going to need your help." Scott admitted as he hugged Stiles tight.

Stiles nodded into Scott shoulders and smiled. "That's what bros are for dude…that's what pack is for."

 

A/N: READ READ READ, this is important!

Okay, its not over yet, we have one chapter left, the EPILOGE! But not only that. If I get enough requests I will go on to Season Two of Stiles The Teen Wolf, but only if I get near 50 REQUESTS.

YOU WANT A SEQUEL! REQUEST IT AND LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THOUGHT OF THE FIRST SEASON. I want to hear the voice of my readers and maybe made the next season more interactive with voting polls on major plot items and So on and So forth. Just please give me a nice review showing me I ain't writing on thin air! LOVE YOU ALL! Please Allow me to write a sequel, I'm really excited for Season Two!

Also please help me find a good Beta! Thank you !


	13. Episode Thirteen: Epilogue

Stiles The Teen Wolf  
Episode Thirteen: Epilogue

The beeping kept track of her heart beat, and Stiles couldn't help cringing with every high marker of her life. The added smell of antiseptic and death, not to even mention the old people really didn't help much on the cringe factor either. So Stiles had to cover his face as he dragged Scott into the hospital room after him.

Scott was taking it worse than Stiles, he had a bandana, one of Allison's (Stiles actually rolled his eyes when Scott opened the door to the jeep with Allison's bandana around his neck) but as far as werewolves go, Scott was taking it all okay. Not that any of the events with the Alpha made Chris Argent any more accepting of the Scott and Allison relationship, but it was taking a back seat to learning how to keep control.

With both Stiles, Derek, and the anchor Allison provided, Scott's and the safety of everyone in Beacon Hills was so far protected.

The only pressing matter that threatened any of them now was Lydia.

Peter had bitten her during Formal and she had been unconscious since, but today would be the first day that Stiles saw her since the bite.

The official reason, the excuse that he gave to Derek, was that they needed to know if Lydia was a werewolf now too. With Scott to train and Jackson itching for the bite, Derek's pack was growing at a rate the new Alpha wouldn't be able to keep up with. So Lydia would be the deciding factor on whether or not Jackson got his precious bite.

Stiles rolled his eyes again as the thought of the argument with Scott and Derek concerning Jackson. Stiles didn't think it was a good idea, Scott was completely against it, but Derek had argued that Jackson would make the pack stronger.

"What pack?! He's not going to even want to be in the pack Derek!" Stiles had argued.

"He knows what we are, he knows the risks, he knows the danger, and he still wants the bite Stiles. He doesn't want to feel weak in the face of our world and he can't just forget what he knows. If we can give him the power to protect what is his then why don't we?"

"Because he is an asshole!" Scott bellowed.

The arguments had gone back and forth for two hours until Stiles finally caved under one condition. If Lydia was a werewolf, then Jackson wouldn't let to be one.

He'd been so sure of his condition, he'd seen her get bit after all, but standing next to her bed with Scott staring at the wound on her side that hadn't healed, Stiles felt his stomach sink.

"Does this mean she's not a werewolf? Mine healed right after and so did yours right?" Scott's muffled voice asked right next to his ear as Stiles crouched to examine the wound. It was a bite. It was the bite, but she wasn't healing. He remembered Derek telling him that while they were conscious, werewolves could slow the healing process, but Lydia wasn't.

"She must not be a wolf." Stiles concluded with a sigh.

Next to him, Scott groaned long and loud.

Derek would give Jackson the bite.

~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~!~

"I can't believe that freakin' prick is going to be a part of my pack!" Stiles paced his room in frustration and Derek could only raise an eyebrow as he watched his mate go.

"Stiles, he doesn't have to be a part of anything. He can choose to be an Omega if he wants." Derek reached out a hand and snagged Stiles wrist on the smaller wolf's twentieth pass by. Stiles only grunted as he was pulled down on top of Derek.

"Why would you want an Omega on the loose Derek? The Argents are still in town and he's an asshole! Our pack is perfect now the way it is. We have you as Alpha and Scott and I get along just fine." Stiles settled himself against Derek's chest, but his displeasure was palpable in the air.

Derek sighed deeply as he rested his back against the window sill, wrapping sure arms around Stiles.

"Stiles I'm a new Alpha with the Hale name and territory and two Betas on my side. Beacon Hills isn't just going to calm down after everything that happened. Omegas will come for the Alpha power, other wolves will come for the territory. We won't be able to live without fighting and Jackson knows. He's not protected by oblivion, he knows and he smells like wolf because of his hand in taking down Peter. He smells like pack because he helped the pack and the only way to protect him is to give him the power to protect himself." Derek nuzzled his nose against Stiles temple as the younger wolf rearranged himself so that his back was against Derek's chest and he was between the new Alpha's legs.

He took a moment to sigh and thump his head back against Derek's shoulder before he relented.

"Fine. Give him the bite. Give a complete and total asshole power. That won't have serious repercussions."

Derek bit into Stiles' open neck, hard at first making Stiles yelp and jump, before he soothed it with laps of his tongue. Stiles relaxed back with a moan, closing his eyes in pleasure.

"We aren't done with this conversation. I'm going to make a long list of reasons why turning Jackson is a bad idea." Stiles said as he tilted his head to the side, giving Derek more room to work with. Derek's smirk pressed against his thumping pulse.

"And I'll do what I want anyways. I'm the Alpha Stiles, you chose me for this. Whatever goes wrong, we'll handle it as a pack. Now sit still and let me taste you."

Stiles hadn't noticed he was squirming until Derek used force to try and still him, but he could only moan at the show of power. His instincts wanted to whine and wiggle at this attention from not only his mate, but his Alpha, but he kept a good hold on himself.

They both froze however when the loud bang of the front door closing echoed through the house.

"Shit!" Stiles cursed, scrambing out of Derek's lap to look out the window at his dad's police cruiser. "He's home from his shift. You gotta go!" He pulled on Derek's arm to get the big wolf up and growled when Derek chuckled.

"Stiles?" His dad's voice came from the bottom of the stairs before footsteps made their way up it. Stiles released a tiny scream at the back of his throat as he tried to physically manhandle Derek out the window. It only worked because Derek wasn't protesting, and soon they were on opposite sides of the window.

"Are you going to do it today?" Stiles asked as they looked at each other like they'd never see each other again. Derek nodded.

"Tonight. He's been coming to the house every night since Peter died, I figured tonight would be as good as any night."

Stiles frowned before wincing as his dad's footsteps came so close to his door.

"Fine fine fine, I'll see you tomorrow for training with Scott." He leaned out the window and Derek leaned in to meet him half way. The kiss wasn't the quick peck he was going for. Derek deepened it instantly and dove into Stiles' mouth like he owned it, which he did.

The sound of his door knob being turned broke Stiles out of it.

"Go!" He hissed.

"Stiles? Why didn't you answer me if you were awake, it's three in the morning what are you still doing up?" Sheriff John Stilinski frowned as he watched Stiles close the bedroom window slowly before turning to face him.

The smile on Stiles face was wide and dreamy.

"Just waiting up for you dad."

John smiled sarcastically, but as he opened his mouth to speak, Stiles' phone belted out the lyrics to Taylor Swift's Love Story.

Without a pause, Stiles dove for his phone and answered as his dad shook his head and left, closing the door behind him.

"Yello Scotty, what can I do for you at two forty five in the morning?" Stiles laughed, feeling just a little bit giddy.

"So you talked to him right? What did he say? Is he going to give Jackson the bite?" Scott rattled off impatiently.

The giddy feeling died a little. "Yeah. He's doing it tonight. Don't worry though, Derek said he wouldn't become any part of the pack. It's still just you me and Derek."

"Since when am I part of the pack?" Scott asked lightly.

"Since you're my best friend Scott. Okay?" Stiles snorted like Scott was the stupidest person he ever talked to.

"But I don't trust Derek. I don't want him as an Alpha or as pack, or as anything." Stiles felt his heart plummet to his stomach at Scott's words.

"Scott, you've been training with us. You've come to pack meetings, Derek's been helping you."

"Stiles, it wasn't pack meetings…I felt like a third wheel on you guy's date."

Stiles groaned into the phone. "Scott we are there to help you learn control! Having a pack can help you with that! Your first full moon hasn't even come yet, do you want to be pack-less and go through it alone?"

Stiles heard it when Scott's resolve broke, but he had to make another jab, just for what Scott had said not two seconds before. "You are going to end up hurting someone. Your mom, Allison, you are going to end up dead Scott. You didn't ask for it, and neither did I, but we're here Scott. Both of us. If you don't trust Derek, at least trust me."

And with that, Scott broke. "Okay. I know all that I just…I know what he means to you Stiles, but I never wanted…"

"I know." Stiles sighed. "I know but we gotta stick together Scott. When a threat comes, and it will come, we need each other. We protect each other, and that means protecting the people who matter the most."

"Like you protected Allison." Scott breathed. "Okay. Okay I'm in. I can trust in you."

"It won't be just us forever okay?" Stiles got up and went to turn off the lights, bathing the room in onyx shadows before laying down. "We'll protect this town. It's our territory dude."

Scott laughs a little. Helplessly but honest none the less.

The phone starts to buzz against Stiles ear and with a soft goodbye to Scott, Stiles picks up the second call without seeing who it is.

"Hello."

"You're my mate." Derek's voice was rough through the phone and the words were so unexpected that Stiles hesitated, enough time for Derek to keep going. "I don't think we've had the conversation we promised. Not that we really need it but…We're mates. I don't know if we always were or if we slowly got to that point over time, but we're mates."

Stiles' smile comes over his face slowly, but it's wide and happy. Inside his chest, the feeling of 'rightness' bubbles up like a shaken soda can.

Too bad it wouldn't last.

 

A/N: Alright my readers, that was it for Season One. You guys will be happy to know that the in two days with the Requests from both FFnet and ArchivesOfOurOwn, we have reached 50 requests for Season Two. So I will be putting it up as soon as I finish the first chapter. Now, here is a few things you guys need to know.

Isaac, Erica, and Boyd are important parts of Season Two, so they will make their appearance and they will be wolves, but at different points in time.

This is Stiles' story. Scott and Allison's Romeo and Juliet love story is not the main act and will take a back seat, if it is really touched upon again. Honestly, if you want to see Scott and Allison's love story, just watch Teen Wolf from the beginning. This is all Stiles' and consequentially Derek's story.

And third, I do have a basic plot in mind and it will get very VERY different from original. This is where things diverge from the Canon, if you don't like that, just let this first Season be the end, alright? Now I love you all and until next time

UPDATE! VERY IMPORTANT!: So my loyal readers, Season Two Chapter One is officially up. I hope you guys aren't tired of waiting so long, my life got about 50 shades of complicated all at once. I've been working like a dog, but hey, the story isn't over yet. I hope you guys stick with me through Season Two and keep reviewing so I have a reason to post chapters faster. Go read the sequel

Stiles The Teen Wolf Season Two


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